Could It Be Destiny?
by JenRar
Summary: Bella Swan opens a bookstore in Port Angeles, which happens to be located right next to the music store owned by a young man named Edward Cullen. Watch as they meet and form a relationship. Rating for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009  
Bella's POV**

"Okay, Ms. Swan. Here are the papers. Take a few minutes to look them over before you sign. Once you've signed them, just knock on the glass to get my attention, and I'll come back in to give you the keys and make copies of the papers." Victoria, the realtor, smiled happily at me and then walked out of the conference room to give me the privacy I needed.

I started reading, but soon, my mind began to wonder to the previous Tuesday, thinking of the business I was about to sign for and buy.

~*~CIBD~*~

_Angela and I had been walking around downtown Port Angeles for an hour when I saw it. THE place. It was small, but not too tiny, fronted with bricks that looked beautifully aged, and had huge glass windows. The trim needed a paint job, and I would definitely want to change the awning, but... "Ang, this is it! Look at how much space is inside! There are tons of books already, so I won't have to do much stocking before opening. I'd wanna rearrange the shelves, but ohhh, hardwood floors and everything!" I was really wishing the store was open so I could go in and look around._

_I knew my voice had gotten high and loud when Angela laughed and covered her ears. "It looks great, Bella! The realtor's name and number are right here. Why don't you call and see if you can have someone come now to let us in so we can look around? I have a couple of hours still before I have to meet Ben for lunch, so I'm good until then."_

_I nodded even as I was pulling my cell out of my pocket. After dialing the number, I put the phone to my ear._

"_Hello, this is Victoria. How may I help you?" She sounded as beautiful on the phone as she looked on the poster in the window, with an almost svelte quality to her voice._

"_Hi. My name is Bella Swan. I'm calling about the bookstore for sale on Main Street. I'm wondering if there's any way I can get you or someone to meet me over here as soon as possible to look inside and ask some questions." I was so nervous that it felt like my stomach was doing somersaults, and I fervently hoped I sounded more confident than I felt._

"_Actually, right now would be perfect, Ms. Swan. I don't have another appointment until after lunch, and it's right near there. I'll meet you there in about ten minutes, if that's all right?"_

_I nodded to Angela and said, "That would be great, Victoria. Thank you. See you in a bit."_

_I hung up and squealed. "She'll be here in ten. Wanna sit on the bench over there?" I pointed to a pretty, green metal bench sitting between "my" building and the one next to it, a few feet in front of a set of stairs leading up to a large landing connecting the two buildings._

_Angela nodded, and we made our way over, sitting down to chat while we waited._

~*~CIBD~*~

I shook myself out of my thoughts, quickly read over the rest of the papers, and then signed my name and initials on the dotted lines. Turning, I knocked on the window softly to get Victoria's attention. She smiled and began walking toward the conference room, so I turned back to the table.

"Get them all signed?" Victoria's red hair hung loosely around her shoulders in soft curls, and she smiled as she reached for the papers and the cashier's check I'd laid out on the table.

I smiled in return. "I did. The check for the remainder is there as well, minus the down payment that I gave you last week."

"Excellent." She grabbed a pen, signed a few pages, and then said, "Let me go make some copies for you, and then you're all set." She turned to leave the room and then quickly turned back. "Oh! I can go ahead and give you these." Pulling a set of keys out of her pocket, she placed them on the table in front of me before leaving the room.

I picked them up and grinned, getting lost in my thoughts again.

~*~CIBD~*~

_Angela and I had been talking about her job and boyfriend Ben for just under ten minutes when a dark green SUV pulled up to the curb and parked. One of the most gorgeous women I'd ever seen got out, carrying a briefcase. The red hair and beautiful features were clearly the woman from the poster. She also looked a little...dangerous wasn't the right word, but definitely like someone you didn't want to cross. I'd met plenty of women like her in college, but from the phone call a few minutes ago, she'd sounded friendly enough, so I wasn't too worried._

"_Hi, I'm Victoria, obviously," she said, laughing and pointing at the poster in the window of the store. "Which one of you is Ms. Swan?"_

_I smiled and reached out a hand. "That would be me," I confessed. "Please, call me Bella. This is my friend Angela."_

_Victoria shook our hands and then walked over to the door, with us following behind her. As she unlocked the door and led us inside, she said, "The owner is an elderly man who's moving to California to live near his children since his wife died not long ago. He's anxious to sell, so he's selling this as is. Are you thinking of keeping it a bookstore or changing it to something else?"_

_I was already looking around when I answered. "Definitely keeping it as a bookstore. I thought I was gonna have to find an empty property and start from the ground up, but this is wonderful!"_

"_Follow me," Victoria said. "There are a few other things you should see." She led us to a door marked "Private" at the back of the store. "This is the storage room. There are no windows in here, so it gets a little stuffy, but there are outlets so you can plug in a fan if you're back here doing inventory or whatever."_

_We took a quick glance around at the decently sized storage room with multiple sets of shelves—about half full of books—and then followed her back out._

"_Now for the best parts," she said, smiling._

_She led us behind the counter and through another door also marked "Private." We walked into a rather large office. There was a desk and file cabinet, but nothing else in the room. A small window was up a bit high on one wall, big enough to let in light, but high enough for privacy._

"_The window does open, allowing you to get some air." _

_She twisted a thin plastic rod, and the window creaked open a bit. It looked like one of those tacky-looking things that came with window blinds, but it was a lot better than having to use a ladder every time you wanted to open or close the window, I supposed._

"_This is a huge office space, Bells," Angela said, smiling at me._

_I nodded, imagining everything I could put into this room._

"_If you'll notice, there's another door here. It leads up to a living space above the store. You might have noticed outside that this building and the next share a staircase that leads up to a balcony. There's a door there that leads straight into the living room of the apartment."_

_I immediately perked up. I'd been staying with Angela and Ben until I found something of my own, but this would be perfect._

~*~CIBD~*~

When Victoria walked back into the conference room, I was once again pulled from my thoughts.

"Here you go, Bella. Your copies of everything. The store is officially yours. Congratulations, and good luck!"

I grinned. "Thank you so much for all your help, Victoria. Come by and see me once I reopen and get a book on the house."

She smiled and nodded as I grabbed my new keys and the papers, calling goodbye as I left the office.

I calmly walked to my car—a fully-loaded, beautiful blue brand new Volvo C30, which I'd bought a few weeks before moving from Seattle to Port Angeles. Climbing inside, I shut the door, tossed the papers and keys into the passenger seat, and giggled. Two minutes later, the giggle had turned into a screaming fit of excitement, complete with flailing limbs, shaking head, and bouncing body. I finally had what I'd been dreaming about since I was six years old and started playing bookstore, making my mom come and "buy" my books.

I picked up the phone and dialed a number I knew by heart.

"Hello?" My dad's gruff voice made me miss him instantly.

"Hi, Dad. Guess what?" I bounced in my seat a little again, unable to contain my excitement.

"Hey, kid! I have no idea. What?"

"I closed on the store today. I have the papers and keys with me now." I couldn't stop the grin that I knew reached from ear to ear.

"That's terrific, Bells! Hey, Sue! Bella got the store!" My dad had finally remarried just before I turned twenty, after having been divorced from my mom for almost eighteen years. "Sue says congratulations, and if you need help, just let her know. That goes for both of us." He paused, and when he started speaking again, his voice was softer and a little bit more gravelly than before. "Sweetie, your mom would be so proud of you. Phil, too, I'm sure. We're all proud of you."

I felt my eyes fill with tears and swiped at them before replying. "Thanks, Dad. I gotta go tell Angela and Ben and start shopping for what I need. I'll let you know, but if you could keep this Saturday free, we could probably use your help moving some furniture in."

"Sure thing, Bella. Call me. And uh, I love you."

I smiled again. Those words weren't easy for him to say, so they meant a lot. "Love you, too. Talk to you again soon." I hung up and took a deep breath to clear my head.

I plugged the phone in, put on my Bluetooth ear piece, and then dialed Angela's cell phone, knowing she was still at work. As it rang, I started the car and drove out of the parking lot toward my new store.

"Hey, Bella, what's up? Did you get it?" Angela sounded almost as nervous and excited as I'd felt while waiting to sign the papers.

"I did! It's all mine. You and I will need to go shopping this week for office and apartment furniture, and then the three of us plus my dad can move it all in this weekend. By this time next week, you and Ben will have your apartment back!"

"Sweetie, that's terrific! But you know Ben and I have loved having you around."

I knew it, but it was nice to hear anyway.

"Are you headed there now?"

"Yeah, I just pulled up, actually. I'm just gonna take the realtor's poster out of the window and sit there making a list of things I need to buy, but I should be home in time to make dinner before you guys get home."

"Okay, have fun. I'll pick up some wine on the way home so we can celebrate tonight. See you later!"

I turned off the car. "Bye, Ang," I said before clicking the phone off and stuffing it into my pocket.

I grabbed the keys and paperwork and then opened the trunk to grab the folding chair, notepad, and pen I'd brought with me, since there was a desk but no chair in the office. I also grabbed the roll of blank newspaper, tape, and marker I planned to use to cover the windows with until I reopened. Carrying my load of stuff, I walked toward the store and tripped over the curb. Luckily, I caught my balance before I could actually fall. Looking around with embarrassment, I was glad when I didn't see anyone around to notice the latest appearance of Klutzy Bella. I didn't trip very often anymore—I'd grown out of that stage when I hit puberty—but when I did, I tended to do it spectacularly.

I unlocked the door, grinned, and giggled again as I stepped over the threshold. I locked the door behind me and then grabbed the poster from the window before setting everything down on the counter and floor.

The first thing I did was unroll enough of the paper to cover the windows and write a note in big letters in the center. Then I taped it up all across the windows, using the chair to stand on to tape it at the top.

I then headed into the office to start making my list. Once I was finished in the office, I ran upstairs to take another look at the apartment. There were already appliances, but I would need all the bedroom and living room furniture, as well as a small kitchen table and chairs for the eat-in kitchen. There were hookups for a washer and dryer, but I'd have to get both of those, too. Linens, curtains, and other decor made their way onto the list that suddenly looked incredibly long. I absolutely hated shopping, but I had a feeling that this trip wouldn't make me nearly as unhappy or bored as I normally got when friends tried to lure me to the mall.

I looked at my watch and realized that if I wanted dinner to be ready by the time Ang and Ben got home, I'd have to hustle. I flipped off all the lights, grabbed the list, the paperwork from the realtor, and the keys, and then locked the door and headed home.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Tuesday, May 26th, 2009  
Edward's POV**

"Dude, what's hangin' in the land of music, bro?"

I swore I could've heard Emmett's booming voice a few miles away. From behind the counter, it sounded incredibly loud, not to mention annoying.

I rolled my eyes. "You're just lucky I don't have any customers at the moment, man. You'd scare 'em all away!" I loved my brother, but he was huge, with a voice to match. To a stranger, he might look a little worrisome.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry!" He turned it down a couple of notches—not quite far enough for my taste, but I'd take what I could get. "Here's your lunch, Eddie. I ran to pick Rosie up something since she's in the middle of taking apart an engine and figured you wouldn't wanna close up over lunch to go grab something."

"Thanks, Em. Don't call me Eddie." I glared at him during the last statement, but as usual, it flew right over his head. "How is my beautiful sister-in-law?" I grabbed the bag and pulled out the fries and hamburger, noticing it was pretty rare, just the way I liked it.

He grinned. "She's great. I never get tired of seeing her covered in sweat and grease, her tight ass as she bends over to look under the hood. Just makes me wanna grab on and—"

I interrupted him. "Please, for my sanity, I do _not_ need those images in my head!" I shuddered, wishing I could scrub the thoughts of my brother and his still fairly new bride from my mind.

"Whatever, dude. You need a girl; then you wouldn't be so uptight about it all." He pulled out his phone and started dialing.

I thought about that while he started talking to his wife on the phone. Sure, it'd been a while since I'd dated. My last girlfriend, Tanya, and I had been pretty serious in college, but we'd broken up our junior year when I found out she'd been cheating on me with multiple guys for at least a year. I'd dreaded going in to get tested, but thankfully, all my blood work and other tests were clean. I hadn't felt like just dating random girls after that. I was waiting for that one special girl that would capture my heart from the beginning. I had my doubts that she was out there, but my little sister swore she is and that I'll meet her one day soon.

I felt a blow to my shoulder and looked up to find Emmett's grinning face. "What the fuck?" I asked, rubbing the spot that was now throbbing a bit.

"Dude, I've been calling your name for like a minute. You were so spaced out that I doubt you'd have noticed if a pack of wolves had been breathing down your neck."

I chuckled. "Sorry, I was thinking about something."

"Obviously. Come over here to the window and check out the cuties sitting out on the bench. They were looking at the building next door, and now they're just talking, but they keep looking up and down the street, like they're waiting for someone."

Walking over to stand by Emmett in the corner, I had a decent view of the little bench outside my store. He was right. They were obviously friends, as they looked completely relaxed and at ease with each other. I couldn't take my eyes off one of the women.

"She's beautiful," I whispered, whether to Emmett or myself, I wasn't sure.

Her long, brown hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, her skin was a pale cream, and I could just picture her looking up from under her lashes with those beautiful brown doe eyes. But what got me the most was her perfect mouth. She wasn't wearing any makeup that I could tell. Her lips were just the right shade of reddish-pink, and when she smiled, I felt my heart stop.

As we watched, an SUV pulled up to the curb and a woman got out. "Hey, isn't she that realtor who has the poster up next door?" Emmett hadn't moved from beside me, and his voice startled me out of my trance.

"Uh, yeah, I think so," I said, not taking my eyes off the beautiful young woman. She'd stood up to greet the new arrival, offering her hand to shake before they turned and walked toward the bookstore next door and out of my view.

"Okay, bro. I gotta go take Rosie her food before she goes all vampire on me and eats all our employees for lunch. Good luck on getting a hot new neighbor!" He chuckled as I shook my head and grinned, and then he headed out the back, where he'd parked his jeep.

"See ya, Em. Tell Rose I said hi and to be sure to keep you in line." I knew if anyone could, it would be his wife. She may have looked like a supermodel—tall, beautiful, with a pretty white smile—but she had a nasty right hook and a fierce temper that we'd all been on the receiving end of at one point or another.

He flipped me off just before the door closed behind him.

My mind soon became diverted as customers wanting pianos, guitars, sheet music, and more came in for the next few hours. By the time I finally had a break, the store next door was empty again. _Ah well__._ She was way too good for me anyway.

I sat down at the piano and let my fingers trail lightly over the keys. A melody was beginning to form in my head, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to question why. Instead, I began to play, stopping every now and then to jot some notes down on the composition notebook I kept with me. By the time my next customer came in, I'd written almost an entire piece.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Emmett's POV**

After flipping Edward the bird, I walked to the jeep and drove back to the shop. Rose came into the office and washed her hands at the sink, kissing the top of my head as she went by. "Hey, Rosie. Guess who has a new crush?"

She flicked a few drops of water in my direction. "They get a hot, new drive-through girl at McDonald's that I need to worry about hunting down to kick her ass?"

"Nah, you know me. I'm a one-woman man, babe. Little Eddie has a crush on a new chick that was looking at the bookstore next to his building." I grabbed my burger and started eating, nearly biting my tongue when she smacked me on the back of the head. "Ow! What was that for?"

She leveled me with a look while pulling out the burger I'd gotten for her. "How many times have I said we're women, ladies—or hell, even girls—and _not_ baby chickens?"

I grimaced. "Right, sorry." She winked, and I knew I was out of the doghouse. "So anyway, this, uh, young woman and her friend met the realtor to look at the bookstore next to Eddie, and he's got a major crush already. He didn't have to tell me or anything. I could tell by the way he looked at her. She was cute. Not my type, but I could tell he was definitely interested."

"Hmm, will be fun to see how he handles it if she ends up buying the place," Rose mused before taking a bite of her lunch.

"You think our little Eddie will finally get a girlfriend?" I asked her, grinning.

"I have to admit that it would be nice," she said, smiling. "I know he's been feeling out of place sometimes when we all get together. He feels like a fifth wheel, even though we've all tried hard not to make him feel like that."

I nodded, frowning. He'd been a bit of a reclusive ever since that skank in college. Maybe Brown Eyes would be just what he needed.

We finished our lunch and then went back into the garage. Rose started back to work on the Mustang she'd been tinkering with all morning, and I went out to pull a car into place. It needed some work done on the engine, so thoughts of Edward and his possible new girl left my head as I got to work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009  
Edward's POV**

I reached up and ran a hand through my hair. Yesterday had been an unbelievably busy day, but so far, today had been crawling. I was standing by the window, staring out into the gloomy gray that seemed to fit my mood, when I saw one of the new Volvo C30s pull up in front of the bookstore. From where I was standing, I couldn't see into the car, but I was guessing it was someone coming to take a look at the space next door. _Whoever it is can't be that ba__d__. They obviously have great taste in car__s,_ I thought with a smirk.

My heart skipped a beat when the door opened and the woman who'd haunted my dreams for the last week got out. I watched as she went to the back, pulled out an armload of stuff, and headed toward the store. I nearly ran out to help when I saw her trip over the curb, but she caught her balance before she could fall. She bit her lower lip and looked around sheepishly, and I felt a stirring in my pants when the most beautiful blush crept up her cheeks, turning her the most wonderful shade of pink. Thankfully, she didn't see me inside the store, or I'd have felt more like a Peeping Tom than I already did.

She straightened up and shook it off before continuing up to the door, out of my view. I went back to the counter to finish the inventory sheet I'd been looking over earlier. When the bell over the door dinged, I set it aside and then spent the next few minutes helping a father and son pick out the little boy's first trumpet.

Once they'd paid and left the shop, I realized I hadn't seen anyone else come or go from the bookstore. I decided to take a quick peek outside to see if she was waiting for someone. When I didn't see her outside, I stepped out and walked casually down the sidewalk a bit, keeping an eye out for customers back at my own place.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut when I saw that the realtor's sign was gone from the window and the windows themselves had been covered with paper. Written in thick, black marker were the words: BELLA'S BOOKS OPENING SOON!

_Bella. What a perfect name for her__._ I was almost giddy with excitement, feeling like a teenager again as I walked quickly back to my shop. Once inside, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding and then picked up the phone.

"Alice's Love Line. May I assist you in finding love?"

I rolled my eyes when I heard her insane greeting. "I take it Emmett filled you in..."

My little sister's voice almost twinkled when she laughed. "Of course he did! Now _you_ tell me. Emmett said she was cute?"

I sighed. "Normally, Emmett tends to overstate things, but in this case..." My voice trailed off.

"Yes? C'mon, spill, big brother."

Damn, she was nothing if not persistent. "She was...is...beautiful. I was calling to tell you, but dumbass beat me to it. Here's something you'll learn before Em, though. Her name's Bella, I think, and she just bought the store next to mine. A sign in the window says Bella's Books will be opening soon."

I had to laugh when she squealed so loudly that I had to hold the phone away from my ear. "So, dinner Friday night, all five of us at Em's? We can talk more about her then."

"Sounds good. I'll call Rose and talk about what Jasper and I can bring. You bring the wine, and lots of it, since we're gonna have _lots_ to talk about. See you Friday, Eddie!"

"See you then." I heard her hang up, laughing, as I added, "And don't call me Eddie!"

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

I got back to Angela and Ben's apartment, changed into sweats and a T-shirt, and then started getting dinner together. I had a few hours until they'd be home, so I figured a homemade lasagna would be a nice way to celebrate the new store.

Once the lasagna was in the oven, I decided to sit down and try to write some. I'd been working on this stupid novel for a few months and barely had a few chapters to show for it. Of course, if I'd been satisfied with everything I'd written, it would probably already be nearly finished. As it was, I'd written and rewritten so many chapters that I could recite every bit of by memory by now if I had to.

As was the case on most days, Angela arrived home later to find me knee deep in crumpled paper. Figuratively, of course, since I was on a laptop and not a typewriter, but she could always tell by my expression how well a writing session had gone.

"Hey, Bells! Make any progress?" She was my biggest supporter and was always checking with me when she saw that I'd been writing.

I sighed. "Not much. A few pages." I closed the laptop and followed her back into the kitchen. After I washed my hands, I began to make a salad and some garlic butter to spread on the bread. "How was your day, Ang?"

Angela was the assistant librarian for the Port Angeles Public Library, a position that I knew she loved. Ben had gotten a job with a computer place here in town after graduation, and they'd moved here, wanting to stay close to their families. When I'd finally decided what I wanted to do, they'd invited me to stay with them for as long as I needed to. They were also the reason I'd decided to stay in Port Angeles instead of going back to Seattle. Being so much closer to Charlie was another plus, as well.

She set the bottle of wine she was carrying on the counter. "It was great! As you know, today was preschool day, so we had little kids running around all morning listening to story time."

I laughed when she put air quotes around listening. "Did they leave a mess this week, too?"

"No, thank goodness! No crafts today, just stories." She pretended to wipe her brow before smiling. "Need any help?"

"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "I've got it covered. The lasagna should be ready in another twenty minutes or so. I'll pop the bread into the oven while that rests and put the salad in the fridge when I'm done with it until we're ready to eat. You have time for a quick shower if you want, or we can just have a glass of wine and chat."

"Thanks, Bells. Pour me a glass, please? I'm gonna go change clothes, and then we can talk." She smiled and then headed back to their bedroom.

When Ben got home a few minutes later, we were on our second glass of wine and talking about the stuff I'd done at the store after I'd signed the papers. He gave Angela a kiss and then pulled a pretty bouquet of sunflowers out from behind his back, presenting them to me with an exaggerated flourish.

"What in the world?" I asked, confused, but pleased. It'd been much longer than I cared to admit since I'd gotten flowers from a man.

"Congratulations on getting the store, Bella! Ang called to tell me right after you called her today. I just wanted to show you that we're both very excited and happy for you." He gave me a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before taking off his jacket and hanging it up in the coat closet.

My eyes welled up with tears. "Thanks, Ben. You guys are the best! I couldn't have done it if you hadn't invited me to stay with you."

He chuckled and sniffed the air appreciatively. "Well, it hasn't exactly been a hardship, Bella... That _is_ your lasagna I smell, isn't it?"

Laughing, I handed him the glass of wine I'd just poured and said, "Go change clothes, hungry man. It should be ready by the time you get back."

Angela got the salad from the fridge and set the table while I pulled the lasagna out and quickly smothered the bread with my garlic butter before sliding it into the oven, keeping a careful eye on it so it wouldn't burn. I was piling the bread into a basket and setting it and the lasagna on the table when Ben came back into the kitchen.

The three of us sat down at the table, and Angela poured us all fresh glasses of wine.

I raised my glass and said, "I'd like to propose a toast. You guys are the best friends I could ask for. Thank you for everything and for being here to help celebrate my purchase!"

We took a drink, and then Ang cleared her throat and said, "Actually, Bella, we have a few other things to celebrate tonight, too."

I raised my eyebrow in curiosity, and she reached into her pocket, fiddled with something in her lap for a second, and then held her left hand up to me. On her finger was a beautiful diamond ring.

"Ang!" I gasped.

She blushed and smiled happily. "Ben asked me last weekend to marry him, and I said yes. We wanted to tell both our families before we told anyone else, and I knew you were nervous about getting the store, so I waited to tell you until it was a done deal."

I reached over and hugged her tightly. "That's so fantastic! I'm so happy for you both!" I smiled at Ben, who smiled back, looking a bit nervous. "What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly feeling a tension in the room.

Angela sighed quietly and looked down at her hands.

Ben reached across the table and took her hand in his before he answered. "Last week, my boss called me in and said that they had been really impressed with my work and that I was being given a promotion and raise."

I waited, knowing that he had to have more to say since that alone wouldn't have caused Angela to get so tense and anxious.

"The new position is in their Seattle office. They want me to start in two weeks."

I took a deep breath, feeling like I'd been punched in the stomach. I didn't really know many other people in town very well. What would I do without them? Then I took one look at Ben's gaze moving over Angela's face and saw her eyes filled with unshed tears. I knew how I had to handle the news.

Pasting a smile on my face, I said, "Ben, that's great! Of course, I'll miss you both like crazy, but Seattle's only a couple of hours away. This is a great opportunity for you guys, and I couldn't be happier! Ang, sweetie, I'm okay, really. I can tell you were worried about telling me, but I'm a big girl. We'll talk all the time, and you won't get out of letting me help plan the wedding!"

At that, she finally broke down, tears pouring down her cheeks. "I'll miss you so much, Bells. Thank you for being so happy for us!"

I squeezed her tight and then held her away from me so she could look at my face. "Ang, no more tears! This is a celebration! I've got a brand new bookstore of my very own, Ben got a promotion, and you, my dear friend, are getting married! I'm truly thrilled for you both." I waited until her tears stopped and the smile reappeared, and then I let her go and asked, "Okay, so, who wants lasagna?"

We sat and talked while we ate and drank most of the bottle of wine Angela had brought home. Finally, Ben told us to go on and relax, that he would do the dishes since I'd cooked. Ang said she would help him, so I gave them each another hug and said good night.

I went into my room and shut the door. After that dinner, I was definitely in the mood for a nice long soak in the tub. I grabbed a book and went into the guest bathroom, which was conveniently attached to my bedroom. Locking both doors, I filled the tub with hot water, turned the radio on the counter to a soft rock station, undressed, and slowly slid into the bath. Then, and only then, did I drop the mask and let my tears fall.

I cried for what seemed like hours. I cried because I was going to miss having someone around to talk to about my day. I cried because I realized I would be all alone when I made the biggest move of my entire life in opening and running the bookstore. Finally, I cried because as happy as I was for the woman that had been my best friend for years, I was also insanely jealous and incredibly sad that I had no one special in my life, now or in the foreseeable future.

The cool water in the tub finally alerted me to the fact that I'd been in there too long. I got out, pulling the plug to drain the water, and wrapped a towel around my body. Another went around my head to soak up the water from my hair.

I got ready for bed, and as I lay there in the dark, drifting off to sleep, I heard Angela and Ben whispering softly to one another as they made their way to their room. My bed suddenly felt huge and empty. I wrapped the quilt around me, and for the first time in a long time, I cried myself to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Bella's POV**

I woke up Wednesday morning and literally had to peel my eyelids open. My tears had dried and sealed my eyes shut. I stumbled into the bathroom and began splashing cool water onto my face, washing away the remnants of last night's crying jag. A soft noise behind me made me jump and gasp.

"Calm down, sweetie. It's just me," Angela said quietly, setting a cup of coffee on the bathroom counter. She laughed when I gave a sigh of relief.

"Sorry. I just woke up, so I'm not really awake yet. Thanks," I told her, picking up my coffee and taking a sip. **"**Ahhhh! Hey, what are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be at the library?"

I made my way back to my bedroom with my coffee, setting it down on my dresser so I could pick out what I would wear. Angela followed behind me and jumped onto the bed, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. I grabbed jeans and a T-shirt, stripped off my sleep shirt, and began to get dressed.

"I called and said I was taking the rest of the week off, that I had a family emergency."

I looked at her curiously.

"Bells, I know our announcements last night were a shock. I heard you crying, both in the bath and after you went to bed. I figured you needed the time alone, though."

She was right, as always. **"**I'm sorry, Ang. I really am truly happy for you both. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I always am." I smiled, trying to show her that I was okay. **"**Besides, what does that have to do with you taking three days off?"

She grinned. **"**Well, if we're gonna move in furniture this weekend, there actually has to _be_ furniture to move in, right? So I figured we'd probably spend today and tomorrow shopping and then Friday getting the store and apartment cleaned and ready." She looked hesitant. **"**Umm, unless you'd rather not have my help, in which case, I understand..."

I jumped on the bed and poked her side, which was incredibly ticklish. **"**Of course I want your help! You know how much I hate shopping." I laughed as she squirmed away from me, giggling.

"Good! Then finish getting dressed and come eat. Ben fixed eggs, bacon, and French toast this morning and left you a plate warming in the oven. I'll go refresh this," she said, holding up my coffee cup, **"**and pour you some juice."

I grinned. **"**Thanks, Ang. Give me three minutes to brush my hair and put on my shoes, and I'll be out. While I eat, we can make a list of stuff I'll need."

Taking my cup with her, she left the room so I could finish getting dressed. I tied my shoes and then went back to the bathroom to brush my hair and put on some deodorant, since I didn't really want to scare all the salespeople away with my bad body odor today. I pulled my hair back in a quick ponytail and then noticed dark circles under my eyes. I took an extra minute to put a bit of concealer on, but otherwise, I left my face free of makeup. Grabbing my keys, cell phone, and wallet, I headed into the kitchen.

"Geez, Ang, that smells amazing, even from all the way down the hall."

She laughed. **"**Just wait till you taste it. Ben's French toast is almost as good as yours."

I chuckled and shook my head, sitting down to a full plate and two full cups. **"**Grab my notebook and pen from the coffee table, please, and then join me. We can talk about the list I made, and you can tell me if you think I need to add something to it."

As I ate and drank my coffee and juice, Angela read over the list. **"**You have linens and stuff?"

"Mmhmm," I mumbled around my food. Swallowing the bite, I said, **"**My dad has boxes from my mom stored at his house. They had a new set of kitchen stuff when they umm..." My voice trailed off, and then I shook my head to clear my thoughts. **"**Anyway, yeah, I have everything I need, at least to start with, for the kitchen and bathroom—minus like toilet paper, which I'll get before we go over Friday. There are a bunch of linens in the boxes, but I'll probably get a couple new sheet sets and some towels and stuff. I know there are plenty of blankets that I'll use, but I think I'll want my own sheets. The apartment doesn't have a ton of windows, so the curtains in the boxes will work unless I see something I can't pass up."

I continued to eat as I watched her write. She looked up suddenly and said, **"**I forgot to look! Did it have hookups for a washer and dryer?"

"Yeah, I looked when I was there yesterday. It does. Both are electric and in a little closet in the hallway leading from the living room to the bedroom and bathroom. There isn't much room in the closet. Just enough for the set and the shelf that's already installed above it, which will make a nice storage space."

"Oh, great! I'm assuming you got measurements for that, as well as the rooms and stuff, when you were there yesterday?"

I nodded, my mouth too full of French toast to speak.

"Good. So let's see. The appliances looked fairly new, so no need to get those. You need a table and chairs for the kitchen, but I guess that's pretty much it, except for any decorations we find, right?" Ang didn't even wait for me to speak, so caught up in her thoughts that she continued without pause. "For the living room, you'll need furniture and accessories," she spoke, mainly to herself.

She scribbled, put the end of the pen in her mouth in thought, and then scribbled some more as I finished my last bite and then got up to add my dishes to the dishwasher. Seeing that it was pretty full, I added soap and started it up. I refilled my coffee cup and asked, **"**Do you need a refill?"

When she said no, I set the coffee pot back down and then motioned for Ang to follow me to the living room. Setting my coffee down on the coaster on the table, I sat down on the couch and folded my legs up under me before finally speaking.

"Okay, so, nothing else that I can think of. I'll need a washer and dryer, of course." I smiled, feeling extremely glad that I wasn't going to have to go back to feeling like I was in college by using a laundromat to do my laundry every week. I looked at Angela, who was staring at the list. **"**Want me to take over?"

"Nope," she said, smiling. **"**I'll write, you think. Okay, bedroom..."

"Hmm, queen-sized bed should be fine."

She interrupted. **"**Bella, I saw that room. There's plenty of space for a king-sized bed. Why not go all the way and get a huge one?"

I smiled a little bit sadly. **"**Ang, I'm in a queen here, and it already feels too big and empty. You're just lucky I didn't wanna go down to a double! At least this way, I can _pretend_ to have hopes that I'll find someone soon to take up the extra space."

She looked at me quietly for a minute and then nodded, moving on. **"**There was a full-length mirror there already, right?" She looked adorable sitting there with her face scrunched up, trying to remember from our quick walk-through the week before.

"Yeah, it's on one of those stands. It's beautiful, in great shape, and it wouldn't surprise me if it's an antique."

She clapped a few times and then got serious again. **"**Okay, so...the bed, a dresser, maybe a rocking chair or something. If either of us thinks of any other ideas for anywhere, we can always add it to the list later on. Now, for the bathroom, you need towels, a rug for outside the tub, um... Oh! What about like a soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, and a shower caddy that hangs up or stands in the shower to hold all your shampoo, razor, and everything?"

"Yes to all of those. Add a wastebasket for the bathroom, bedroom, living room, and kitchen to the list too, please. One thing we _don't_ need is a ladder. There's a really tall one that I noticed in the storage room when we took our walk-through. We can use it to paint up high inside and the trim outside. Oh! I almost forgot. I don't wanna use my personal laptop for the bookstore, so I need to get a new computer, probably a Mac, for office use. There was a cash register that looked in pretty good shape, so I don't need that."

Angela nodded. **"**Good idea. There's an Apple store in the same area as the furniture store I was thinking about going to in Seattle, so that'll be easy."

"Damn, I need to call U-Haul and rent a truck. I think if we can get the people from the furniture stores to carry out the heavy stuff and load it into the truck, then I can just rent the truck through Saturday and return it once we've unloaded everything. That way I don't have to worry about how to get everything home or where to keep it until Saturday." I grabbed my cup and stood up to head into the kitchen to find the phone number.

"While you do that, I'm gonna go put on a little bit of makeup and call Ben to let him know that we're heading to Seattle for the day and probably won't be home until late. Then I'll be ready to go."

She grinned excitedly, and I realized that while we were making the list, my excitement had come back, too. I threw my arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Thanks, Ang! You're the best, and I couldn't do this without you."

I set my cup in the sink and rinsed it out before grabbing the phone book from the drawer. After looking up the number, I dialed the closest U-Haul location. Fifteen minutes later, I hung up the phone, put the phone book away, and headed back to Angela's bedroom.

Knocking once on the door frame, I walked in and dropped down into the chair beside the bed.

"Hey, did you get a truck reserved?" Angela walked in, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"Yup, one of the last big ones they had available right now. So I'm glad I called. I'm ready when you are," I said, grinning with excitement.

She laughed. **"**Glad to see you're happy! I'm ready. Just gotta grab my keys and purse. We'll take my car over there, and then you can follow me back here so I can drop the car off. Work for you?"

Nodding, I said, **"**Yup, works for me. I'm a little nervous about driving the big truck, but I've done it once, so I'm sure I can do it again."

We grabbed our stuff, making sure I had the list, and left the house.

Thirty minutes later, Angela hopped up into the truck. **"**Seattle, here we come!"

I laughed. **"**You're such a goof!"

She grinned and stuck her tongue out at me. I stuck mine back out at her and then got quiet.

"Seriously for a second. Thank you, Ang. I really wouldn't wanna be doing this with anyone else and am especially glad I don't have to do it alone."

She smiled, reaching over to squeeze my hand gently. **"**Never alone, Bells. Don't forget that. I'll always be here for you, no matter where I live." We both sniffled, holding back tears. **"**Now, no more crying! This is a fun day! How about some music?"

The trip to Seattle was going to be about two and a half hours in the truck. For the first hour and a half, we simply listened to the radio, singing along with the music when we knew the song and pretending when we didn't. When we had about an hour left, Ang turned the radio down before pulling out the list.

"I'm assuming you wanna replace the awning above the door? It's kinda old and dirty."

"Yeah, definitely. I'm not sure where to buy one of those, though."

"Ahh, see, this is where I come in. I did some research on the computer this morning before you got up, and I figured we'd go to Lowe's to get stuff like the washer and dryer. Guess what Lowe's also sells?" She grinned.

"Oh! That's awesome. I didn't know they'd have that type of thing. I wonder if they'll have the color I'm thinking of..."

I looked in my mirrors and then smoothly changed lanes to get out of a semi's way. The driver waved and honked as he passed us, making us laugh and feel like we were kids again.

"Well, what colors are you thinking for the store front?"

"I'm thinking a burgundy, or something similar, for the awning and for the name of the store painted on the window. Then for the trim, maybe something like a slate blue. Possibly a shade or two darker than that, but I'm not sure what it would be called. I figured we'd just look around tomorrow when we went shopping in town for paint and linens and stuff."

Angela nodded. **"**Those sound good. I'm sure they'll have something that'll work. If not, we can look around until we find something that does."

I turned the music back on while Angela put the list away. For the next thirty minutes, we sat quietly, both lost in our thoughts. When it came time to start looking for an exit, Angela pulled a piece of paper out of her purse. **"**I have just the place for us to start shopping," she said, grinning.

Following her directions, we found the furniture store that Angela had decided we would start our shopping trip. I parked the truck toward the back of their parking lot, locked the doors, and we headed inside.


	4. Chapter 4

**Bella's POV**

A really cute salesman walked up to us as we started looking at some of the display items. "Hello, welcome to Modern Design Sofas. Can I help you ladies find something?"

I looked at Angela and then shook my head. "I think we're okay. We'll come find you if we have any questions, though."

He nodded in understanding. "My name's Keith, so just ask if you don't see me. Have fun shopping!" He gave us one last smile before heading back the way he came.

Once he was out of earshot, Angela and I giggled with each other quietly. "Okay, my shopping leader, lead on," I told her, grinning.

We started in the bedroom section, and I found the perfect bed before she did. I fell back on the mattress, drawing my legs up to rest my feet on the extra space around it. It was a raised platform bed with an extra few inches of the wood platform around the mattress.

"It's so cool."

She laughed, and I sat up, looking curiously at her. Holding up a tag, she said, "How well do I know you, Ms. Bella? This is the collection I was thinking about."

I laughed with her and then began to look around. The bed frame was a dark wood with an attached headboard, squared off at the corners. There were matching nightstands, each of which had one large drawer and a metal handle, and a dresser with six large drawers that matched the nightstands perfectly.

That was when I looked more closely at the tag on the bed. I couldn't believe it! _Fourteen hundred dollars? For a bed without a mattress?_ I grabbed the tag for the dresser. It was only a hundred less than the bed. "Angela! I can't get these! Did you see the price?" I hissed quietly.

She walked over to me, took my hands, and led me back to the bed, sitting us both down on the edge. She turned to face me and waited until I looked up at her before she started talking. "Bella Marie Swan. You never buy yourself anything. I know you grew up not having a lot of money. We both did. Right now, though, it's a different story. You have more than enough to buy the bed, dresser, and everything to go with them. I know you feel guilty spending it, sweetie, and that's understandable. But remember what Dr. Pearlman said. Not spending it on the things you want and need isn't gonna bring them back. You gave a lot to charity and invested the rest. What you spend on furnishing your new place isn't gonna come close to eating up the interest you're earning. So let loose a little bit. Forget about looking at the tags for anything this week. If you like it and want or need it, we're buying it. I won't let you out of this, so there's no point in arguing. Got it?" She smiled to take the sting out of her words.

I took a deep breath and nodded, giving her a small smile. "Thanks, Ang. It's a hard habit to break, so thank you for giving me a push in the right direction. You're right. I love this set, so...I'll get it." I gave her a bigger smile then and stood up to look for Keith. Seeing him standing with another salesman, I waved him over.

When I pointed out what I wanted, his eyes his up, and I had to hold back my giggle, knowing he was trying to calculate the commission he was going to make from my purchases.

"Okay, I'll get started on having these found in the back. I'm assuming you have a truck with you?"

I nodded. "We actually have a U-Haul parked out front."

"Great," he said. "I'll have all your purchases brought to the loading dock out back. Once you're finished and have paid, you can drive around, and our guys will load everything up into the truck for you. Let me know when you're ready with more or if you have any questions." Smiling at both us, he headed toward the back of the store.

Angela and I laughed quietly once he was gone. "Did you see the way his eyes nearly bugged out of his head?" she gasped, catching her breath.

"Well, by the time we're finished shopping, I'll have paid for his vacation... I'd be excited if I were him, too!" I giggled again and then asked, "Okay, so, any more recommendations?"

She nodded, looping her arm through mine and steering us toward the sofa section.

After picking out a deep chocolaty brown leather sofa with chrome legs, two solid brown and two striped throw pillows, and low, squared-off arms, we headed to the coffee tables area of the living room selections.

"This is one of the coolest tables I've ever seen, and if I didn't have a wedding to pay for, I might buy one for myself. But the next best thing is for you to have it so I can drool when I come to visit," she said, laughing.

I stood looking at the coffee table she'd picked out and grinned. "That's awesome, Ang." It wasn't rectangular, like most coffee tables, so it contrasted nicely with the square look of the sofa, and the metal legs matched the sofa almost exactly. The top glass was clear, but the shelf underneath was a frosted glass, giving it an almost futuristic look. "What about end tables, though? I'm not sure I want kidney-shaped end tables, too. That might feel a bit...over-the-top."

"Let's ask Keith. He might have an idea." She waved him over.

He smiled, looking at the table we were standing beside. "Nice choice! I love the frosted glass on the bottom. Do you want the matching end tables?" he asked, pointing to the pair near us.

"No, actually. I think that would be a little too much of that shape for me. Do you have one that's like these, with the clear and frosted glass and metal base, but round instead? I'd take square, even, but would prefer round." I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping.

"We do, absolutely. The round ones are exactly the same, height and all." He smiled, hearing the breath I released in relief. "Oh, I also checked, and we do indeed have the chocolate-brown couch. It's already out back with the bedroom set, so I'll go get the coffee table and—you wanted two, right?—end tables rung up and set back there as well."

When I nodded, he smiled and left us once again.

"Lead on, Grand Shopping Mistress!" I grinned, really beginning to enjoy myself. Once I quit worrying about the money, I started picturing the new apartment, and as we went along, I would add the new furniture to my mental home. Now I couldn't wait to actually _see_ everything in place for real.

We walked quickly back toward the front, finding an area rug I could use for the living room on the way, and then cut across the main aisle to the other side of the store. Standing between two bedroom sets was a beautiful shelving unit. It was wood, painted white, with two columns on the base that made the entire thing just over six feet tall. Angela was pretty tall, especially for a woman, and the shelf was a good four or five inches taller than she was.

My favorite part had to be the four glass shelves that matched the living room tables we'd picked out. You could tell from the way it was positioned that it was designed to be a room divider, but in my head, I saw one wall of the living room painted a deep blue with that in front of it, using it as a bookshelf and a place to put little knickknacks I'd collected over the years. I didn't even hesitate. With Angela's quiet laughter behind me, I waved to Keith.

"Ahh, great choice! Do you want it in this white or in a dark wood tone?"

"White, please. Do you happen to have any media cabinets that would go well with this and the coffee table I picked out?" I was getting more and more excited as our shopping trip went on, and I was anxious to continue.

"Hmm, let me think." He looked around the store for a moment. "Ah! I've got it! Follow me, ladies. I have just the thing."

The low cabinet matched the couch, tables, and bookshelf perfectly: white-painted wood, glass shelf, and chrome. Looking at the dimensions, it seemed like it would fit my electronics just fine, and it was low enough that I could hang the TV at a good height above it.

"I'll take it," I said, grinning.

"Great!" Keith chuckled. "Anything else you're looking for?"

My mind suddenly blanked, and Angela smiled, waving the list in front of my face. "Dining table and chairs, right, Bella?"

I shook my head to clear the cobwebs. "Right, right. Duh. Thanks, Ang." I laughed. "We can figure out which ones I want, Keith, thanks. I'll let you know when we're ready."

He smiled and headed back to add the latest two items to my order. We were right next to the kitchen section, which was good, because my head was spinning from all the stuff I was buying. I stumbled over to the nearest chair and sat down, rubbing my hand over my face.

Suddenly, I looked at Angela and laughed. "Okay, not this one." I stood up and patted my behind. "That's the most uncomfortable seat I've sat on in a long time, including the seat in the U-Haul!"

She laughed with me, and we began to wander around. Ten minutes later, I was just about to give up, when I saw the table and chairs I wanted. "Oh, man. I hope the chair is comfortable, 'cause look how cute they are!"

The chairs had a woven leather—not a perfect color match to the sofa, but close—back and an upholstered leather seat with a chromed steel frame. The modern-looking wood table was dark, but the tempered glass top and chromed steel legs matched the rest of the furniture well. The ends unfolded from underneath as built-in leaves to expand the length of the table too, which would be handy if I ever had company.

We both sat down carefully, crossing our fingers that they were comfortable. I knew immediately that these were perfect, but I wanted Angela's opinion, too. "Yeah?"

She grinned. "I'll take these. You can have ours back at the house."

I laughed. "Uh, sure, Ang, whatever you say."

She did a happy dance in her chair while I, again, waved Keith over.

"I take it you finally found the right ones," he said, chuckling.

"We'll just stay in the seats. You guys can load us up and drive us back to Port Angeles, okay?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"Aww, I'm sorry, ladies. Our delivery zone for furniture extends way past Port Angeles, but to deliver people, you have to live here in Seattle." He grinned and then laughed along with us when we couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Well, darn! I guess we'll have to get up, then. I want this table and the set of four of these chairs. That's it! Stick a fork in me. I'm done. Point me to the register, please!"

Angela said, "Hey, Bells, I'll go pull the truck around to the back if you wanna pay, and then you can meet me back there while they're loading it all in."

"Thanks, Ang." I dug the truck keys out of my pocket and handed them to her.

Thirty minutes later, and after more money than I wanted to know, the truck was loaded and I was pulling away from the store.

"Did you look at the total?" Angela asked, giggling.

I shook my head. "I did not. No way, no how. I'd probably keel over from a heart attack, so no thanks! Hey, you mentioned that there was an Apple store nearby? How about we run over there, and you can keep the truck company while I run in and buy the computer? I researched and already know what I want, so it shouldn't take very long at all. Then we can go grab some lunch, 'cause I'm starving after all that."

"Sounds good to me," she said. "I'll call Ben and update him. I know he was curious about what I'd be able to convince you to buy."

I pulled up to the store and parked in a couple of spots. Swatting her arm gently, I said, "I was very good, thank you, so hush, woman. I'll be back in a few. Tell Ben hi for me." I grabbed my wallet and headed into the Apple store.

I came out almost ten minutes later, a nice guy from Apple following behind me, carrying the box with my new laptop in it. Leading him to the door of the truck, I said, "Thanks a bunch! I'll take it from here." Truthfully, I could've carried it all the way out, but he was just too sweet when he volunteered that I couldn't say no.

"No problem! Enjoy it!" He gave me a grin that I think was supposed to be sexy, but was more goofy than anything, unfortunately.

After he had made his way back toward the store, Angela got out with the keys. "Did you give him your number?"

I shoved her playfully. "No."

She unlocked the back of the truck, and I set the box inside, tucking it into a place beside some of the furniture so it wouldn't jostle around too much.

"You should've! He was looking at you with puppy love in his eyes."

I groaned and laughed. "That's okay. I live too far away from him. I'm sure he'd understand." We got back into the truck. "Now, lunch. Wendy's okay? I saw one back that way, not too far."

"Sure," Angela said. She began telling me about her conversation with Ben as we left the parking lot.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Alice's POV**

I had an hour break for lunch. Since Jazz was busy, I decided to grab a bite to eat and call Rose. Besides needing to ask her what I should bring to dinner on Friday, I wanted to make sure she'd heard about the new girl in Edward's life. I drove over to Subway, ordered the same veggie and cheese sandwich I always had when I went there, and then decided to go to the park.

After plopping down at a table in the sun, I unwrapped my sandwich and called Rose and Em's shop. I didn't bother calling her cell phone, since she rarely even had it on her at work, afraid that she would crush it when she climbed under a vehicle.

"Hot Bod's Auto. How may I help you?"

"Hey, Bree. It's Ali. Is Rose free by any chance?" Rose and Emmett's business had started booming enough recently that they'd finally hired a receptionist to answer phones and handle walk-in customers when both of them were elbow-deep in car parts.

"Yeah, Ali. She just came in for lunch with Emmett. Hold on and let me tell her you're on the phone."

"Thanks," I said before taking a big bite. I hadn't even finished chewing when Rose picked up the phone.

"Hey, Al. What's up?"

Swallowing quickly, I said, "Couple of things. First, what should Jasper and I bring Friday night?"

Rose or Emmett usually cooked the meal, and we would pick up dessert or any extras that she needed, but since we had to drive down from Seattle, I always made sure to check with her in case I needed to make arrangements ahead of time to bring something to keep food hot or cold for the hour-long trip.

"Hmm, I'm thinking meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, and stuff. If you wanna bring some rolls and something for dessert that you don't need to keep cool, that would be great; whatever's easiest for you."

I took another bite and continued to listen.

"We can pop the rolls into the oven before we eat, so you wouldn't even need to cook them yourself. I have everything else already at home."

I nodded. "Easy enough. Now, onto more important things. I'm assuming Emmett told you about Edward's new neighbor?"

"He told me they'd seen a couple of girls checking out the bookstore while he was there last week and that Edward had seemed interested. Why? Do you know more than I do?"

"He called me yesterday to talk about Friday and mentioned that it looked like her name is Bella and she bought the bookstore. He seemed really excited about it and said we could talk about it when we were all together Friday."

Rose was quiet for a few seconds and then said, "Good. Maybe she'll be someone that he'll really be interested in. Hopefully she's nice. Emmett said she was pretty, but I'm sure Edward will tell us more later."

We both laughed when I announced, "If he doesn't volunteer any other info, we'll just have to drag it out of him."

"Okay, I need to eat quickly so I can get back to work. We had a couple of new customers come in this morning, and I'd like to get them finished as soon as possible so they'll come back the next time they need work done. See you guys Friday around six?"

"Yup, see you then! Give Em a smack to the back of the head for me. I'm sure he's done _something_ to deserve it!" I grinned when I heard a yelp in the background and Emmett asking Rose what the hell that was for as she hung up the phone.

I finished eating and called Jasper's cell phone. I knew he'd have it off, so I left a voice mail before pulling out notes for my meeting later that afternoon. "Hey, baby. Just finished eating lunch and talked to Rose about Friday. See you tonight. Pick up Chinese, and we'll eat while we watch the movie I rented this morning, okay? I love you," I said before hanging up, turning off the phone, and sticking it back in my purse so I could look over my papers.


	5. Chapter 5

**Bella's POV**

After we sat down and started eating, I said, "You know how we had talked about shopping tomorrow at home and then cleaning and stuff on Friday?" When she nodded, I continued. "Well, I think we'll need longer than that to let the paint dry, especially if it gets rainy on Friday. So I was thinking that we'd go ahead and buy the paint at Lowe's today; tomorrow, we can go over and clean and paint. Then we can finish up the shopping on Friday while the paint dries completely."

"Ooh, yeah, good idea! I hadn't even thought about the weather making it take longer for the paint to dry! Good call, Bells."

We finished eating and then headed back to the truck.

I looked at Angela after I had my seat belt on and the truck started. "Okay, I'm assuming you have directions to the Lowe's?"

"Of course. You know I came completely prepared," she said, sniffing and sticking her nose into the air.

I chuckled and acted like I was bowing to her superiority, and then I pulled out of the parking lot and followed her directions. Twenty minutes later, I was parking as close as I could without being in the way, and we were headed into Lowe's.

"Hmm, grab a pallet, I think," Angela said, pointing to the big, flat carts at the front of the store. "That way, we have plenty of room for all the lights and other things besides the washer and dryer."

After choosing one, I followed along behind her as she walked to the lighting department. "I think I want a pendant light to go above the kitchen table. I'm just not sure what to look for."

"I think you could get just about anything," she said, looking around at the lights on display. "You could stick with the chrome theme, or go for a darker metal to tie in with the wood. Although frankly, I don't think it truly matters. Just get what you like; who cares if it isn't a perfect match?"

"That's true. Oh, look at this one!" I was standing under a pendant that had a dark metal rod that was twisted so it looked almost like a candy cane without a hook.

"The green glass shade is beautiful. I love how it kind of flares out as it goes down, almost like an A-line skirt." Angela started looking around on the shelves for a box. "Ah hah! Found it. You want this for the kitchen, right?" When I nodded, she set it on the cart and then made a check mark on the list.

I told her what I was thinking for the living room, and a couple of minutes later, Angela called out, "Hey, what about this one?" She was pointing up at a very modern-looking, five-light chandelier in a silver metal with white glass shades.

"Ooh, I love it! Very cute and contemporary without being scary," I said, looking at some of the lamps with all sorts of dangling lights and funky-looking designs.

Angela had already found the box, added it to the cart, and was marking that off the list when I found the next ones.

"Okay, I want two of these torchieres," I said, pointing to a box. I didn't see them on display, but from the picture on the box, I knew they would go well. "Look, they even have the dimmer switch, which I'll enjoy." I pulled two boxes off the shelf and carefully added them to the growing pile.

"What kind of lighting are you thinking of for the bedroom?" Angela asked after marking off the last two lights from the list.

"I think I want something different. The living, dining, and bathrooms are all gonna be pretty contemporary. But with the dark wood and other features of the bedroom furniture, I kind of wanna just keep it soft and more romantic."

"I saw something online that I think you'll wanna see," she said, smiling before turning to the shelves. "I just hope they have 'em." It didn't take her long before she was pulling out a box from the shelf. "Here's the bedside table light. They're all matching, so you can see what they look like. I believe there should be a floor lamp and a beautiful chandelier here somewhere if you like it."

She handed me the box, and when I looked at the picture, I knew instantly that it was exactly what I'd been thinking of when I pictured my new bedroom.

The lamp had an antique bronze finish, with a hand-painted glass shade in soft red tones. The glass itself had a rose tint to it, which would cast a beautiful light throughout the room. There were pretty metal leaves decorating the stand, and it had two pull chains with little balls at the bottom to turn it on and off.

Angela took the box from me and added it and a second one to the cart before showing me the matching floor lamp and chandelier. The floor lamp had a three-way switch, and the chandelier had three lights with the same hand-painted glass shades as the others. I nodded without speaking, already envisioning them in the bedroom.

"Okay," I finally said, grinning. "What's next? Bathroom lights, right?"

Across the store in the bathroom department, Angela called from down the aisle, "Hey, Bella, come check this out!"

The cabinet she was pointing out was dark chocolate wood, with frosted glass door fronts and brushed nickel handles that matched not only the bathroom fixtures, but the bedroom furniture, as well.

"I thought you might want one of these since there's a closet, but there's not a ton of storage room in it."

I nodded. "That's really pretty, Ang! Excellent. Let's add it to the cart." Together, we lifted the cabinet onto the cart.

I started looking around while Angela marked that off the list.

"Hmm, I like these," I said, pointing to a set of lights, "but they're kind of boring."

"What about this one?"

Angela brought over a box with a set almost exactly like the ones I'd been looking at. The four lights had the same white glass shades, but the brushed nickel rod was wavy instead of straight, giving it a bit more of an edge.

"That's perfect!" I held onto the cart and flexed a foot, stretching my legs. "Ugh, I am so almost shopped out," I groaned softly.

"Not much more, sweetie. You need the washer and dryer, an awning, and paint. Do you know what colors you want?"

As we walked toward the washers and dryers, I told Angela what I'd been thinking, paint-wise.

"Those are great choices," she agreed. "I can see the bedroom especially, and it'll be beautiful."

When we got to the right department, my eyes went immediately to a Whirlpool laundry pair. They were front-loading, which was great for my height, Energy Star-qualified, and a gorgeous ocean blue color. "This is what I want. No doubt at all," I said, running my hands lightly over the controls at the top.

"Fair enough," Angela laughed. "That makes it that much easier!" She waved to a salesman that had stayed nearby in case we had questions.

He flashed us a bright smile and said, "Hi. Did you ladies have any questions, or did you decide already?"

"I want these two, please," I said, returning his smile. "We have a few more items to pick up, though. Can they be taken to the front for us to get when we check out?"

"Absolutely." He looked at the tag and tore off a section. "Just give this to your cashier, and she'll have someone bring out the matching boxes. Can I point you in the right direction for the remaining items on your list before I go find these in the back?"

"Actually, that would be great. I need to buy an awning for above a door."

"Those would be right over there." He pointed to our right. "Aisle thirteen."

"Thanks," I told him warmly.

He smiled again. "No problem. Your things will be up front by the time you're ready for them."

We hurried over to aisle thirteen, both of us ready to get the last things on the list and start the long drive home.

"Oh, Bells, look! You said burgundy, right?"

I nodded, slowly pushing the heavy cart toward her.

"They have just the right size _and_ in the perfect color!"

We high-fived each other and then both blushed a dark red when we noticed a couple walk by and laugh quietly at us.

"Oh well! So we're excited. What do we care that they noticed?" Angela said, giggling.

I couldn't help but giggle with her as we lifted the heavy awning onto the cart.

"Ugh, on to the paint and then home, please!" I begged, pleading for relief from shopping.

"Fine, fine!" Ang laughed and took over pushing the cart. "Hop on, Bells! I'll give you a ride back to the paint!"

I laughed, looking around, and then hopped on once I saw that no one was watching me act like a kid.

~*~CIBD~*~

"Hey, Bells!"

I was looking over the paint color cards to find the exact shades I wanted while Angela was finding the perfect brand and just kind of looking around. When I glanced over, she was holding a plastic jug-looking thing with a handle and screw-on lid that kind of looked like a laundry detergent container.

"Check this out! It's paint! No more of those messy cans!"

I grinned, shaking my head at her enthusiasm, and then started looking for my last few colors.

Thirty minutes later, I'd picked out paint for all four rooms of the apartment, plus the trim and window of the store. We had more paint sitting in a few big boxes than I cared to count, as well as a ton of supplies like brushes, trays, blue painter's tape, and everything else we could possibly need. Angela and I both worked together as we pushed the cart to a checkout line.

After giving the lady the slip for the washer and dryer, they were brought out and added to the charges on the register. Without even bothering to look, I handed over my credit card, almost crying at what I knew the total was going to be.

"Would you ladies like some help to take everything out?" the cashier asked.

We looked at each other and laughed. "Yes. Lots, please!" I groaned in answer.

She grinned and called two buff, good-looking guys over. "This is Jeff and Tommy. If they can't help you, no one can. Thanks again for shopping at Lowe's!"

One of the men said, "I'll grab the cart, and Tommy will follow behind us with the washer and dryer. How's that sound?"

I groaned, rubbing my sore arms. "Perfect," I agreed, laughing. "We have a big U-Haul outside."

Angela and I walked ahead of the guys, talking and laughing quietly. When we got to the truck, I unlocked the back.

"Wow, quite the shopping spree!" Tommy laughed when he drove up on a forklift with the washer and dryer on a pallet.

"I just bought a new place and uh, obviously needed to furnish it," I explained, blushing.

Jeff pulled the ramp down and then unhooked the appliance dolly from the back of the forklift. Together, he and Tommy had everything carefully loaded into the truck in only a few minutes, taking care with everything that was breakable.

"Thank you both very much," I murmured, blushing again when they both smiled at us.

"Our pleasure," Tommy said, and then he turned the forklift around and drove off toward the store.

"Come see us again, ladies," Jeff added before he smiled and left with the cart.

Angela took the keys, guided me to the passenger side, and said, "Buckle up, Bells. It's been a long day, and I know you didn't sleep well last night. Close your eyes, and I'll wake you when we get home."

The last thing I heard before falling asleep was Angela with the phone to her ear, saying hi to Ben and letting him know we were finally on our way home.

~*~CIBD~*~

**Angela's POV**

Bella's eyes had closed even before I'd left the parking lot at Lowe's, and she'd been asleep the entire way home. It had been a long day for her, physically and emotionally, especially after the rough night she'd had last night.

Thinking about the night before nearly made me cry again. Ben had held me as I'd cried for her before I fell asleep. I felt so guilty about turning what was a celebration of her new store into something that made her feel sad and alone. I looked over and brushed a hair away from her face. She was my best friend, and she was tough, so I knew she'd be okay. But she'd had to go through more in the last few years than anyone should ever have to, and I was still feeling guilty that I was leaving her. That's part of why I'd worked so hard today to cheer her up and why I'd taken the next few days off work before actually quitting. I wanted her to really understand how important she was to me and how excited I was about the bookstore.

I put on my Bluetooth headset and called the house.

"Hey, sweetheart." Hearing Ben's voice made me instantly feel better. "Where are you guys?"

"Hi, honey. We're about ten minutes from the house. Bella's still asleep, and I'm not sure she's coming out of it anytime soon. Could you come out when we get home and carry her into her room? If she stays asleep, I'll pull off her shoes and jeans and then tuck her in so she sleeps more comfortably."

"Sure, babe, I can do that. Oh, and I moved the cars so you can pull the truck into the driveway."

We continued to talk until I turned onto our street, and then I hung up so I could concentrate on backing the truck into the driveway. I got out carrying my purse, Bella's wallet, and all our papers, and then gave Ben a kiss as he walked up to the truck.

"Hi," I whispered, smiling softly.

"Hey. Good trip?"

I nodded.

"Come close Bella's door after me and make sure to lock them both. Then come open the front door."

I watched as Ben carefully undid Bella's seat belt, pulling her smoothly into his arms. Halfway to the house, she jerked awake and began to struggle, not awake enough to realize where she was or what was going on.

She calmed down immediately when she heard Ben's voice. "Calm down, Bella. You're home, and I'm carrying you into your room. You can go back to sleep if you want."

I opened the door and saw that Ben had lowered the lights in the house so they wouldn't wake her. I smiled gratefully, and once he'd laid her down on her bed, I kissed him softly. "Thanks, honey. I'll be out after I get her undressed and under the covers," I whispered.

He nodded and quietly left the room.

Bella didn't stir once while I removed her sneakers and carefully pulled off her jeans before moving the covers up around her. Ben had left the bathroom light on and door partially open so I could see enough to get her comfortable. I left it that way it was in case she woke up, unsure of where she was.

I looked down and smiled at her peacefully sleeping form before leaving the room, pulling the door closed quietly behind me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Bella's POV**

I woke up feeling disoriented, but well-rested. Looking around, I saw that I was home and somehow had gotten out of my shoes and jeans, leaving me in the T-shirt, bra, panties, and socks I'd worn to Seattle the day before. Poor Ang! I'd fallen asleep, and she'd had to drive back with me asleep beside her and no one to keep her company. I looked at the clock and realized it was early enough that Ben was probably still home and hadn't eaten yet, so I threw on a pair of shorts and padded quietly into the kitchen.

The house was dark and quiet, but I knew he'd have to be up soon for work, so I started the coffee and then began the process of making Belgian waffles with blueberry syrup. The syrup wasn't homemade, but the waffles I made from scratch. It really wasn't a hard process—in fact, I found it very relaxing to cook—and they tasted so much better than anything I could buy.

Twenty minutes later, Ben and Angela followed their sniffing noses into the kitchen, and I greeted them each with their choice of coffee.

"Black for you," I said to Ben, handing him his cup, "and milk with a splash of coffee for you."

Angela tried giving me the evil eye, but when she yawned right in the middle of it, the effect was completely ruined.

"Mmm, smells great, Bella. Waffles?"

Angela perked up when Ben mentioned waffles, the word connecting her brain to the scent she'd smelled on her way in.

"Yeah, I wanted to say thank you both for getting me and all my new things home safe and sound. Ben, I vaguely remember waking up as you were carrying me inside, but you calmed me down, and I must have fallen right back to sleep. I'm guessing it was you, Angela, who changed my clothes, and not your fiancé."

He smirked, earning a bop on the shoulder from Angela for teasing me.

"Of course it was me," she said, grinning. "No way am I gonna chance him getting his uh...privates pulled off if you wake up to find a man disrobing you without your consent! I need him in one piece for the ceremony and honeymoon." At that, she turned toward me and waggled her eyebrows suggestively, and I burst out laughing when Ben's face became as red as a tomato.

We ate and talked until Ben looked at his watch. He quickly stood up and took his plate to the sink. "You guys have fun today cleaning and painting. Be home for dinner, and I'll grill some steak and chicken and make baked potatoes. Sound good?" He picked up his keys and coat, patting his pockets to make sure he had everything before coming back to the table.

"Sounds great, sweetie," Angela said before he leaned down to kiss her goodbye.

"Yummy, grilled chicken. Thanks, Ben!" I said, the thought making my stomach growl, even though I was already full from breakfast.

He smiled and kissed the top of my head, patting my shoulder as he headed toward the door. "No problem, Bells. See you both later!"

Ang and I finished eating and then unloaded the dishwasher together before adding back in the rinsed dishes from breakfast.

After a quick clean up of the kitchen, I said, "Okay, I need a shower before we go over, even though I know we'll be getting dirty and sweaty. So give me half an hour, and I'll be ready to go."

She nodded, settling down into a chair in the living room with a book. "I, uh, had a shower this morning when we woke up." When she blushed, I laughed, knowing she and Ben had showered together. "I'm just wearing this old pair of jeans and the T-shirt that I've worn to paint in before, so make sure to wear something you don't mind ending up getting like this!" She turned the shirt enough that I could see splotches of paint in various colors.

"Don't worry. I've got just the thing," I said, chuckling. I quickly headed to my room to strip out of the shorts and yesterday's clothes.

I turned on the radio to one of my favorite classical stations and got into the shower, letting the hot water and music from Bach and Beethoven relax all the sore muscles due to yesterday's shopping marathon. When "Clair de Lune" came on, I sank to my knees, letting the water flow over my head and down my back. I felt the music wash over me, and I was suddenly reminded of why I was doing this. I realized that instead of wallowing about it, I needed to embrace it and let it give me courage and strength.

With a newfound purpose, I finished my shower and got dressed, quickly blew my hair dry, and pulled it into a messy ponytail. Then I pulled on my favorite baseball cap that said "Bite Me" on the front. It was faded and old from being worn so much, but I hadn't thrown it out yet, even though I'd bought a new one. One of my dad's old T-shirts—I'd found it in my clean laundry after the last time I visited, and I hadn't given it back—a holey pair of jeans, and an old pair of sneakers completed the outfit.

I turned off the radio, grabbed my keys, and left my room, walking quietly into the living room when I heard Angela on the phone.

"Sure, honey. I can do that. See you then." She hung up the phone and grinned.

"Okay, two questions. What did Ben forget today, and two, why the hell are you grinning at me like that?" I tried to look at as much of myself as I could to see what had her grinning like a fool.

She laughed. "His lunch. So I'm just gonna run and pick up a burger and take it to him at one. I'm grinning because you look cute. Relaxed, happy, and absolutely ready to paint. Ready to go?"

I smiled my thanks and agreement and nodded. "Do you know where my jacket is?"

"Oh! It's still in the truck. The keys for it are on the table. You go grab it and then meet me at the car. I'm gonna unpack Ben's lunch so it'll still be good tomorrow, and then I'll meet you out there. Mind if I drive your car this afternoon, or should we take mine?"

I shrugged. "We can take mine. I know you've been wanting to drive it since I got it."

"Good, 'cause Ben loaded everything we'd need today into you trunk and back seat, so I'd hate to have to switch everything!" She laughed. "Okay, let's go! I'm itching to get inside and start painting."

A few minutes later, we were talking about what to do first as we pulled up and parked in front of the store. I felt a thrill run through me when I realized, again, that it was all mine.

"Let's do this," I said, almost jumping out the car.

Angela laughed. "Just a bit excited, aren't you?"

"I am! I decided it was time to stop worrying and thinking about all the negative things and just relax, enjoy it, and remember all the good things right now. So...yes, very excited!"

She met me around at the trunk and gave me a hug. "That's a great attitude, Bells. Now, what do you want me to carry in?"

I handed her a bucket of paint and the keys to unlock the door. "Could you please find something to prop the door open so we can carry everything in without having to open the door every time? Just set the paint off to the side."

"Sure." She left me to grab two containers of paint and follow behind her.

We walked up the stairs to the apartment door, rather than going through the store.

She used her paint to hold open the door. I added one of mine to make sure it stayed and then set the other off to the side out of our way.

Seven trips later, we had all the paint and cleaning supplies unloaded into the living room. We shut the door and then collapsed on the floor, sweating and breathing hard.

"Do those windows open?" Ang asked.

I nodded as I stood back up to open them, letting in some air, and then quickly dropped to the floor beside her. We sat for a few minutes, letting the cool breeze sweep over us. It was only nine in the morning, so it didn't take long for us to cool down.

"Okay, there isn't any painting to do downstairs, aside from the trim outside, so all I wanna do is a bit of cleaning. It's not too bad, but I do wanna dust everything. I decided just now, though, that since I wanna inventory all the books before I open, I might as well wait and do the cleaning down there when I do that. I know we're bound to track stuff in when we're going in and out Saturday anyway, so there's no real point in doing much cleaning now. So I say we just start cleaning and painting up here. Sound good?"

Ang nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Where do you wanna start? Biggest room or smallest?"

I thought for a second. "Let's start in here and then do the bedroom. If the bathroom and kitchen don't get painted before Saturday, it isn't too big of an issue."

"Works for me. Here ya go," she said.

She grabbed a tarp and tossed one to me, and we quickly covered the pretty wood floor and went up the baseboards, using the painter's tape to hold them in place.

"This room is the light silvery gray, except for that wall, which is the dark navy, right?" Angela was standing over the jugs of paint, sorting them into groups.

"Yeah, that's what I decided. I wanted the navy behind the bookshelf." I took one jug of the gray and a tray from her and then poured the paint in as she came over with the rollers.

"Ooh, Bella! This is so pretty! I think we'll need a second coat, but it's so soft looking. Know what I mean?"

I nodded, already picturing the room finished and filled with furniture. We continued talking as we painted, and it only took us thirty minutes to finish the first coat.

"You wanna start on the navy wall while I rinse the rollers and tray?" Angela asked as she poured the extra paint from the tray back into the container.

"Sure. Here's my roller. I'll grab the other one and then go ahead and start while you rinse. When you finish, if you wanna start in the bedroom with the light green, that would be good. I should be able to do this wall pretty quickly by myself since it's a lot smaller than the others total."

"Got it," she said, moving to the kitchen.

By eleven o'clock, I'd finished the navy accent wall and we'd finished the first coat of green in the bedroom.

"How ya doin'? Feeling okay to keep going?" I smiled, hoping she'd agree, because I really wanted to get it all done today and it would be much easier with the two of us.

"Sure! Give me your roller and then grab the tray and pour back in the extra paint. We can clean them and let them dry while we use the first set to do the kitchen. We should have enough time to paint the first coat of yellow in there and the first coat of blue in the bathroom before I have to run some lunch to Ben."

We did some juggling with the painting stuff and then headed into the kitchen. Once the rollers and tray had been washed and set out to dry, Angela started with the yellow while I quickly cleaned the sink, counters, and the inside and outside of the cabinets before joining her in painting.

"Wow, that's bright!"

I laughed. "I know, but remember, the paint guy at Lowe's assured me that it would dry a bit darker, especially after a second coat."

"I hope so," she said with a laugh. "It's one thing to have a sunny yellow kitchen. It's another to feel like a lemon threw up all over it!" She giggled and then squealed as I pretended to fling paint at her.

We laughed and joked our way through the kitchen, rinsed out the rollers and tray, and then grabbed two brushes and the beautiful light blue I'd chosen for the bathroom.

"Okay, you take the wall by the sink, and I'll clean the tub and toilet. Then I'll start the wall by them, and we'll meet at the corner. We have about thirty minutes until you need to leave, but this is a small room, so that should be plenty of time."

I tossed her a roll of tape, and we each taped off the toilet, sink, and window, and then I poured out some paint, and we got to work. A few minutes later, I happened to look in the mirror and giggled at what I saw. I had splotches of five different colors of paint on my face, hat, and in my ponytail, and when I started looking down my front, I realized my clothes and arms hadn't fared any better. Angela turned to see why I was giggling.

All it took was me pointing at the mirror and then pointing at her to make her realize she looked as silly as I did. We had a hard time finishing the bathroom because we kept looking at each other and laughing.

Finally, at a few minutes before one, we were rinsing off the brushes and tray. The entire apartment had its first coat of paint, and when Angela got back from lunch with Ben, we could start the second coats and be completely finished by the time he came home from work. It was a good thing Ben had volunteered to cook tonight, since I doubted either of us would have the energy.

"Okay, scoot! Go enjoy lunch with Ben. I'll probably head to the coffee shop down the street and grab something to eat and drink before you get back."

"Thanks, Bells. See you in a bit." She grabbed the keys to my car, leaving me the key to the store, and headed downstairs.

~*~CIBD~*~

I thought about going down to the coffee shop, but had another idea instead. I grabbed the store key, a brush, and the paint I'd bought for the trim outside, and then I walked downstairs through the store. The paint was the same navy as the accent wall in the living room—except made for outdoor use—because I thought it would go well with the burgundy of the new awning and the paint I'd gotten for the store name on the window.

Once downstairs, I grabbed the ladder from the back room and then went out front to begin painting the trim around the door and window.

Deciding to start at the top of the window and work my way down, I climbed up the ladder and taped off the glass so I didn't have to do any cleaning after. Once it was taped, I climbed down, poured a bit of paint into the tray, grabbed my brush, and made my way up the ladder again.

I'd only been painting for about five minutes when a bird swooped by me, squawked in my ear, and scared the shit out of me. I dropped my brush, and in my rush to try to keep the tray from falling and spilling paint everywhere, my foot slipped. I threw my hands out, scrambling to catch myself, but I couldn't get a hold on the ladder. It started to wobble, and I felt myself beginning to fall backward. I screamed and grabbed the back of my head, just waiting to feel the hard concrete of the sidewalk break my fall—and most probably break _me_ in the process.

Instead, I felt myself enveloped in a pair of strong arms just before I hit the ground. They pulled me up and into a warm, muscular chest. Without caring at this particular moment who my rescuer was, I buried my face in his neck and began to sob.

"Bella?" His deep voice sounded worried. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you when I caught you? Was I too late and you hit your head before I pulled you up? Please, Bella, calm down for a minute and talk to me!"

I sniffled and took a few calming breaths before whispering, "I'm okay. I'm not hurt—just a late reaction to being absolutely scared to death." My voice was muffled, buried in the crook of his neck. Wait..._his?_ Oh my God! Who was the man who has his arms wrapped around me, holding me, and whose neck I had sobbed into? More importantly, how did he know my name?

I tried to scramble down and out of the stranger's arms.

"Hold on, please. Let me make sure you didn't hurt or break anything as you slipped and tried to grab onto the ladder. If you're injured, I don't want you to hurt yourself further."

I relaxed enough for him to check my fingers, hands, and ankles. "I'm fine, really. I was just reacting to being scared, not because I was hurting. Please, put me down now."

I lifted my head and realized I was staring into the most beautiful green eyes I'd ever seen. He had amazing lips, although they were currently set in a frown, and his hair, a gorgeous bronze color, looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, whether from sleeping or sex, I couldn't guess. Then I remembered that this stranger still had me in his arms and knew my name, and no matter how stunning he was to look at, he could very well be a stalker or a monster. I began to struggle again to get down.

He gently set me on my feet, taking a step back.

My voice was still shaking as I said, "Thank you very much for catching me. That could've been very bad. I'm sorry, but have we met? I don't know your name, but you seem to know mine...?"

"Oh! I'm so sorry." He chuckled, the tips of his ears turning pink. "My name's Edward Cullen. I own Masen Music next door. I've seen you a few times, first with the realtor, then by yourself when you let yourself in the first time with keys, and then again today. Since the sign says Bella's Books, I just assumed you were the new owner and your name was Bella. I apologize for scaring you. I'm glad you're okay. I was on my way back to my store with coffee when I saw the bird fly by. You and the ladder started to wobble, and...well, instinct just took over, and I dropped everything and ran. I didn't want you to fall all the way to the ground and really hurt yourself."

He was babbling adorably, but finally seemed to realize it, as his ears turned even more red.

"Anyway, uh, welcome to the neighborhood. I live above my store, so if you ever have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to ask." He nodded once and then turned to go back to his store.

I quickly realized I'd embarrassed him. "No, Edward, wait. Please."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

At her please, I stopped and slowly turned around.

"I'm sorry I overreacted. You didn't do anything out of line. I was still shaken up from the fall and the rescue, and hearing my name from a stranger gave me a bit of a shock. I hadn't even thought about it being in the window!"

She laughed, and I relaxed a bit.

"Now, I believe I owe you a cup of coffee since you did drop yours to rescue me. Do you have time to go with me to the coffee shop and get another, or do you need to get back? Honestly, I could probably go for sitting down for a bit with some hot chocolate or something to help calm my nerves after that almost disaster. I'd love the company and the chance to thank you properly."

I glanced at my watch. "I do have time, yes. My assistant, Sasha, is great at the job, so she can handle it for a few more minutes on her own."

Bella poured the paint from the tray—which had thankfully stayed where it was—back into the container, laid the brush on top, and folded up the ladder, setting everything inside. Then she locked the door, and we walked quietly down to the coffee shop.

When we got inside, she said, "What would you like? If you grab us a table, I'll get our stuff and then come sit down. I'm getting a sandwich since I haven't had lunch, so if you'd like something to eat, just tell me."

"Black coffee, please," I said. "Also, I can pay for my own."

"No, I insist. If it weren't for me and my clumsiness, you wouldn't have dropped it."

I chuckled. "Okay, but _I_ insist on paying for my food since you didn't make me drop any of that."

She smiled and agreed. I handed her a five dollar bill and said I would take whatever she was getting for myself, food-wise. When she smirked, I knew she could make me regret saying that, but I had a feeling she wouldn't.

She spoke to the cashier, paid, and then got the ticket before heading over to the booth I'd chosen.

We sat quietly, a little awkwardness to the silence, but nothing too bad, until our number was called. She stood up to go get it, but I quickly took the ticket from her fingers and gently pushed her back into my seat.

"I'll get it," I said, smirking playfully. "After all, I don't want our lunch flying through the air and landing on some poor, unsuspecting soul when you trip and fall." I danced away quickly before the hand she'd pulled back to smack me with even came close to hitting me.

While I was walking back with our food, I saw her friend from before walk in. I got to the table just as she spoke.

"Hey, Bella! Decided to take a break and eat lunch?"

Bella nodded, looking suddenly shy and a little nervous. "Umm, Ang, this is Edward, uh, Cullen. He owns the music store next to the bookstore. We met earlier, and I accidentally made him drop his coffee, so I offered to buy him a new one." She was adorable when she was ruffled. "We're both hungry, so we decided to eat a quick bite, too. Edward, this is my best friend and fellow painter, if you couldn't tell by our matching hair and outfits, Angela Webber. Ang, you wanna join us?"

She opened her eyes wide and looked toward the door, as if hoping her friend would say no—or maybe that was wishful thinking on my part. I wanted to get to know her friend, but more than that, I wanted to get to know Bella herself.

"Oh, no, thanks. I'm stuffed. Ben and I just finished lunch. I thought I'd get started painting the second coat in the living room while you eat. Just give me the keys so I can get in, and then I'll be on my way!"

Bella smiled, took her keys from her pocket, and looked at her watch. "I'll be back around two thirty, okay Ang?"

"That's fine. Don't rush it. We'll have plenty of time to finish today." She smiled. "Nice to meet you, Edward. I'm sure I'll see you again. See you in a while, Bells. Don't worry, you don't have a curfew, and I won't be like your parents and spy through the curtains when he brings you back, in case he wants to kiss you!" Leaning down, she murmured quietly to Bella, and even though I tried not to listen, I heard her whisper, "And trust me, I'll be begging you to spill all the details." Then she turned and walked out, obviously pleased when Bella groaned.

Bella hid her face with her hands.

I reached over and pulled them away. "Please, don't hide your face. The blush just makes you even prettier than you already are."

She got even more pink.

"Plus, it matches all the paint perfectly!"

That lightened the mood considerably, and we both laughed.

Finally, she took a deep breath, one last giggle squeaking out before she asked, "Okay, I'm hungry. I got two club sandwiches—one with mustard, one with mayo. I wasn't sure which you'd prefer."

"The mustard, definitely, unless you want it."

"Oh, no, I actually prefer the mayo, so that works out perfectly." She took her sandwich and drink before pushing the tray my way. "So, how long have you had Masen Music? Where did the Masen come from?"

I added two sugars to my coffee and stirred it as I answered. "I bought it a year ago. Well, just over a year, right after I graduated from college and realized there was nothing at the moment that I wanted to do with my music degree. I teach some private piano lessons in the evenings sometimes and occasionally will go to Seattle and play at some of the clubs and bars. Masen was my birth parents' name. My full name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, but I tend to just go by Edward Cullen. Masen Music sounded better than Cullen Music, though, so that's why I used that." I took a bite of my sandwich and drink of my coffee and then asked, "So what's your story, Bella?"

"Short version, for now at least—"

I grinned to myself that there might be more with her later.

"—I graduated not too long ago with a major in English Literature and decided I didn't wanna teach. It's been my dream since I was a little girl to own a bookstore, because I love to read and love to help others enjoy it, too. Angela and her boyfriend, now fiancé, moved here shortly after graduation, and I'd been going through some things, so they offered to let me come stay with them until I was ready to get back up on my feet."

She told me about finding the bookstore, and I smiled sympathetically when she explained about Angela and Ben springing their engagement and impending move the same day she signed the papers for the store.

"So buying the store when I did and being able to live above it was a saving grace, to be honest." She looked at her watch. "Oh crap! I need to go. We really need to finish getting the apartment painted today so it's sure to be completely dry before we move in the furniture on Saturday morning. I don't want Angela to have to do all the second coats by herself, so I really need to run. I'm sorry to rush out!"

"No worries, Bella. But do me a favor, please! Let me paint the trim for you while you're painting upstairs. I won't be able to stop worrying about you falling off the ladder again. I don't have any lessons tonight, so I can do a quick first coat now, and then after I close this evening, I'll run over and do a second coat. If you're already gone, I'll leave the paint and stuff in my shop, and you can get it the next time you're around."

She thought about it for a minute and then sighed. "All right, but only if you let me promise to repay you by making dinner for you sometime after I get moved in."

_Hell yes._ "Deal." I grinned. Throwing a small tip down on the table, I picked up her drink and handed it to her before grabbing my coffee. "Let's get outta here. I'm sure Angela is dying for more information. I know my sister would be." I rolled my eyes and grinned again as she laughed.

We quickly walked back to the stores, and she called Angela to come let her in. Then she took my cell phone and called her own phone, saving her number in my phone before handing it back to me and saving mine on hers. "I'll run down and leave the paint just outside the door for you for when you're ready. Call me when you're finished, and if I'm still here, I'll let you in to bring it all inside. Otherwise, I'll see you tomorrow. And umm, Edward..." She leaned up and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks again for saving me."

I smiled. "It was my pleasure. Thanks for the coffee. Enjoy your painting."

She laughed and then waved as she ran up the stairs.

I waited until she'd opened the door to the apartment and closed it behind her before turning back to my store, a big smile plastered across my face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Bella's POV**

I'd just gotten back from having lunch with Edward, and I had to laugh at Angela's eagerness. I told her all the details of how we met, including how strong and warm his arms had felt, to our conversation as we ate lunch and walked back to the store. "So I gave him my number and got his, and he's painting the trim outside for me."

She squealed excitedly. "That's awesome. He's _cute_, Bells! Just think, he's your neighbor," she said in a teasing whisper. "His living room windows and bedroom windows are like—" she peeked out the window "—six feet from yours!"

I tried to calm her down. "Yes, Ang, I know. He's gorgeous." My voice softened. "He's sweet, nice, a musician...and by the way, did I mention he's gorgeous?"

We laughed together as we grabbed the rollers to continue with the second coat where Angela had left off. Sometime mid-afternoon, Angela called Ben to say we'd decided pizza would be best for dinner since we were both so tired and sore that we wouldn't be able to enjoy much else.

By five thirty, we had the entire apartment finished. We were exhausted and covered head to toe in paint, but it was done.

"Thanks for all the help, Ang. It would have taken me forever to do this by myself!"

"No problem, sweetie. Now let's get home, order some pizza, open a bottle of wine, and then each take a long, hot soak in the tub. I don't know about you, but my muscles are already feeling it," she said with a groan as she stretched.

She was right; I could already feel everything tightening up. A glass, or three, of wine and a hot bath would be heavenly right now. We made sure all the paint stuff was cleaned and set aside and then grabbed the changes of clothes we'd brought with us so we wouldn't get the car covered in any leftover wet paint. We changed quickly before leaving the apartment with our paint clothes in a bag, locking the door behind us. Once we got outside, I saw that a lot of the trim was done, but Edward and the painting stuff weren't in sight.

After we left, I called Edward's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Edward. It's Bella. From this afternoon?" I didn't want to be forward and just _assume_ that he would know who I was.

"Hey, Bella! I just was about to head out and finish. My assistant needed to go early today, so I had to come in and finish out the day. I just closed at five and was finishing up the day's paperwork before going back out. I take it you're gone already?"

"Yup, we just left. Angela was ready to get home and see Ben."

"Ah, right. The fiancé. Well, that's to be expected. Okay, well, enjoy your evening. I'll go finish up out there and then bring everything inside with me. Just call me when you get to the store, and I'll bring everything over to you. Sound good?"

"Perfect, thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Oh, and Bella?"

"Yeah?"

He chuckled. "If I remember anything from a year ago, you're gonna be really sore tonight. You and Angela should both soak in a hot bath and take some Ibuprofen before bed, and that should help."

I smiled softly. "Thanks, Edward. Good idea. Talk to you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Bella."

I hung up the phone and smiled.

"Well?" Angela asked, grinning.

I told her what Edward had said about the medicine and bath, my tummy fluttering as I remembered his sweet voice.

She laughed. "He sounds like a smart guy."

I rolled my eyes and laughed along with her.

We got home and ordered pizza, which arrived shortly after Ben. Angela barely let him in the door before telling him all about Edward's "heroic rescue" and the resulting lunch and offer to paint the trim.

"Well, maybe I should head over there tomorrow at lunch and talk to him. See what his intentions are," Ben said with a half-serious smirk on his face.

I shoved his shoulder. "I know I've known you for a damn long time, but what are you? My father? You will do no such thing!"

He laughed, moving away from me. "Well, maybe I won't. But your dad _is_ coming up on Saturday, right? Maybe I'll tell him what a great job Edward did of painting the trim after you guys had lunch..."

He snickered, and this time, Angela poked him in the side. "Bella's an adult and doesn't need you, or her father, to screen who she chooses to see, Mr. Nosypants."

I gave her a high five, and then we continued to eat pizza and drink good wine, talking and laughing the whole time. I finally realized that my arms and shoulders were killing me. I stood up and got a couple of glasses of water and the bottle of Ibuprofen, handing one glass to Angela and setting the other down in front of me. After dumping out four tablets, I gave two to her and downed the other two with my water.

"Okay, you lovebirds. I'm gonna go take a quick shower to wash all the paint off and then soak in a hot bath before I crash. See you in the morning, Ang. Ben, I'm probably gonna sleep until after you go to work, so have a good day. Good night, you guys."

They said good night as they settled down in front of the TV to watch before going to bed.

I quickly showered off, washing my hair twice to get out all the paint that I'd somehow gotten onto my ponytail, and then ran the bath water, adding in some strawberry-scented bubbles. Once the water had cooled, I got out and toweled off, pulled on a T-shirt and panties before climbing into bed.

I grabbed my cell and—bravely or stupidly, I wasn't sure which—sent a text off to Edward.

_The bath and ibuprofen helped, thanks! See you tomorrow._

I waited anxiously to see if he'd even respond. Three minutes later, my phone beeped.

_I'm glad! Take some more meds in the morning if you're sore still! See you tomorrow._

I grinned and set the phone on my bedside table before falling asleep, wanting the next day to come faster than I knew it would.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

When we got back from lunch and Bella thanked me with a kiss on my cheek, I watched her run up the stairs and inside the apartment before I walked the few feet to my door. Stepping inside, I was just in time to hold the door open for a customer, who was walking out with a bag of music books in her hand.

"Thank you! Come back again soon."

She smiled and murmured her thanks before walking on to her car.

I let the door close and made my way to the counter. "Everything going okay, Sasha?"

"It's been pretty steady. No problems. Couple of people asked about piano lessons, so I took their information and said you'd call them soon. You do remember that I need to leave early today for an appointment, right?"

"Great, thanks. Yes, at four, right? I'm gonna help the new owner of the bookstore by painting the trim around the door and window. Call me if you have a problem, but otherwise, I'll be back over here by three thirty so you have plenty of time."

"Thanks," she said, smiling at a customer that had just walked in.

I smiled at the man as I passed him and heard Sasha greet the man and ask if she could help him.

Walking back to Bella's, I saw that she'd set the painting stuff outside the door as promised. I made sure the ladder was sturdy before pouring some new paint into the tray and climbing up to start above the window, where she'd been painting before falling from the ladder.

I looked at my watch a while later and was surprised to see that it was time to put the paint stuff away for the afternoon. I gathered up all the supplies, poured the extra paint back in, and then carried it into my store, leaving the ladder and container of paint in the storage room in back. "Sasha, lemme run upstairs and clean these, and then I'll be back down to take over."

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. I closed the store at five and then started on paperwork. A movement outside caught my attention, and I watched as Bella and Angela, now in clean clothes, got into the car, talking and laughing. I smiled, thinking back to our lunch and how much I'd enjoyed it.

After they were gone, my cell phone rang. I didn't look at the caller ID, assuming it was one of my siblings. "Hello?"

"Hi, Edward. It's Bella. From this afternoon?" Her voice sounded unsure, as if I might not remember who _Bella_ was.

"Hey, Bella! I just was about to head out and finish." I told her about having to come in and close since Sasha had left early. Right before we hung up, I gave her the advice that no one had given me when I'd spent a full day painting my first time.

"Thanks, Edward. Good idea. Talk to you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Bella." I hung up the phone and smiled, hurrying to finish my paperwork so I'd have plenty of time to finish up the painting while it was still light outside.

Nearly two hours later, I'd done the second coat of the navy and finished the paint job just as the sky was beginning to lose a little light. I carried everything in, again leaving the paint and ladder in the storage room, and took the brush and tray up to my apartment. I washed them and set them to dry before calling for pizza.

Once it arrived, I hurried downstairs to the shop door to get it and then plopped down in front of the TV, watching some cheesy horror movie while I ate.

I was just getting ready for bed when my phone beeped, signaling I had a new message. I figured it was just Emmett, since he tended to text me random dirty jokes and stupid messages, but I smiled when I saw it was from Bella. I quickly texted her back so she would know I was thinking about her.

I'd been surprised earlier to get her phone call and was even more shocked to get her text. As I pulled on my boxers, I looked out my window into her currently empty one. I climbed into bed, setting my phone on the nightstand beside me. I knew my dreams tonight would be of the beautiful brunette that had completely captured my attention.


	8. Chapter 8

**Bella's POV**

_My new apartment was all finished, and I was moved in. I'd invited Edward over for a celebratory glass of wine. After a light dinner and a few glasses of wine, we sat, kissing, on the sofa. Soon, I led him to the bedroom and told him to make himself comfortable on the bed and that I would be out in a minute._

_I came out of the bathroom in a short, pale blue, soft silk babydoll and panties. Edward, wearing nothing but a pair of black silk boxers, was reclining on my bed, waiting for me. His bronze-colored, messy, gorgeous hair and light skin contrasted beautifully against the dark headboard. He smiled that sexy half-smile he knew I loved and then crooked his finger._

"_Come here, my beautiful Bella."_

_I walked over to the bed, an outward confidence hiding my inner nervousness._

"_Do you have any idea of how dangerous you are? You make me think thoughts that a man really should not think about the woman he cares for." His eyes traveled from my head to my toes and back up again, pausing at my breasts to watch my nipples harden under his gaze. A soft growl escaped him before he could stop it._

_I suddenly felt powerful, and I let that feeling flow through my body, holding my head up a bit higher, pushing my shoulders back and my breasts out. I knew it had the desired effect when he sat up, reached out, and pulled me tightly to him._

"_See something you like?" I purred seductively._

_He buried his face in my neck, licking and sucking lightly and sending shivers down my spine. "You vixen!" His hands moved down my back until they cupped my ass. He easily picked me up and deposited me gently onto the bed beside him._

_Sliding down, he slowly parted my legs, and I lifted my hips so he could slide my panties down and off over my feet. He moved back between my legs, running his hands up from toes to my knees and higher, slowing until he was within a breath of the spot I wanted him to touch the most._

"_Please," I whispered, every nerve in my body alert._

"_Please what?" he asked quietly, his breath tickling the skin of my inner thigh._

"_Touch me," I begged, my body aching._

_He lightly ran a finger in slow circles around my thigh. "Like this?"_

_I fisted the sheet and shook my head._

_He leaned down, dragged his tongue around the same circles, and then looked up. "Maybe like this?"_

"_Edward," I whined softly, my body throbbing with anticipation._

_He leaned back down, and with his eyes on mine, he slowly licked from the bottom of my slit to the top, stopping before he reached the little bundle of nerves that was tightening up more and more every second my body was feeling his touch._

"_Yesss," I hissed. "More, please!"_

_His fingers suddenly moved up and parted my lips. I gasped when I felt his tongue slide in as far as it could go. "Mmm, Bella, you taste just like I knew you would. Strawberries and freesia, exactly like the scent of your hair and skin."_

_He made love to me with his tongue for several minutes until I began thrusting my hips up, silently begging for more. I felt his finger at my entrance, and he slowly slid it inside, making me cry out. "Oh God, Edward! Harder, please!"_

_I felt my body beginning to tighten when he added another finger, and his tongue began lapping at my clit, making it feel like it was on fire. I felt my orgasm rising and..._

_Brrrrrring! Brrrrrring!_

What the hell?

"Hello?" I mumbled, half asleep.

"Hey, can I talk to Jamie?" The young girl's voice sounded way too cheerful for this time of day.

"You've got the wrong number, sorry." I tried to keep the frustration out of my voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Is this...?" She rattled off a number that had two digits switched from mine.

When I told her that she'd dialed the wrong number, I heard the dial tone and hung up, frustrated and angry at being interrupted.

Unfortunately, I'd been woken up much earlier than I needed to be. I didn't even have to glance at the clock to know that, because the sky outside my window was still dark.

It was at the worst possible time in my dream, too! I closed my eyes, desperately trying to get back to it. After five minutes, I knew it wasn't going to happen. Groaning softly, I rolled over and picked up my phone to look at the time. It wasn't as early as I'd feared, so I got up and on threw my standard jeans and a T-shirt before heading into the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone.

When I reached into the cabinet for the pancake mix, my muscles twinged, so before starting to cook, I grabbed another dose of the Ibuprofen and set the bottle on the table for Angela in case she needed it. I started the coffee and then mixed up the batter and heated the griddle. Since Angela liked bananas and Ben liked blueberries, I got them both out and sliced up the banana before pulling out the chocolate chips for myself.

Once I heard stirring from the other end of the house, I began ladling batter onto the griddle, adding blueberries to some, bananas to a few, and bananas and chocolate chips for the ones meant for me. Once I had a big stack, I placed them on a plate and put them in the oven to keep warm. I was just slicing some cantaloupe and adding it to small bowls, along with strawberries, blueberries, and grapes, when Angela and Ben walked in.

"Mmm, smells good, Bella! Please tell me there's coffee," Ben begged.

I laughed. "Freshly made. Pour us all a cup, please, while I get the pancakes out. Ang, could you get out the butter and syrup? Ibuprofen is on the table if you need it, by the way."

The next few minutes were filled with nothing but the sounds of hunger being satisfied and the occasional slurping of coffee. By the time we'd finished, all of us looked a lot more bright-eyed and awake.

"What are your plans for today?" Ben asked, looking from me to Angela.

"I wanna clean and inventory the store."

"Bella, don't forget that we still need to go shopping for some things for the apartment. We can do that this afternoon after finishing up in the store."

"There ya go," I told Ben. "Our plans." I grinned.

He nodded. "Always listen to the boss. That's what I've learned." He stood up and kissed the top of Angela's head. "I'm gonna rinse my plate and head to work."

Angela chuckled. "Go on. I'll take care of your plate. But you can cook dinner tonight since Bella and I are gonna have another long day of shopping and working at the store."

"Works for me. We can cook out since we didn't do that yesterday. Maybe I'll bring you both some lunch today, too. No promises, but we'll see how work's going." He grabbed his jacket and keys and left with a wave.

Ang and I finished eating and then rinsed all the dishes. "Oh, should we be nice and unload the dishwasher before go?" she asked, looking down at the machine in question.

I nodded. "Since he's gonna cook, it's probably the least we can do."

We put away the clean dishes and loaded the breakfast ones before grabbing both our laptops and some notebooks and pens, since I wasn't sure which way would be easiest to do the inventory.

"You ready to go?" I asked Angela.

"I'm ready," she said. "Hey, you think Edward got the trim finished?"

"I'm sure he did. I'll call him once we get to the store." I turned my face slightly to hide the blush that was heating my face, but it didn't escape her notice.

"Bella, dear..." Angela's voice had a definite teasing tone. "Why the blush? Thoughts of your new neighbor?"

"Mmm, maybe," I confessed. "A few dreams, too."

Angela tried the entire way to the store, but I wasn't going to give her any details, no matter how much she begged. "Fine..." She gave in with a grin. "I'll just let my imagination fill it in."

"Ahh, your imagination wouldn't even come close." I felt my face flame again and slapped a hand over my mouth.

She teased me as we parked and began grabbing our stuff.

We both jumped when we heard, "Good morning, ladies."

"Ow, shit!" I cried, rubbing my head where I'd smacked it on the car door frame.

Angela laughed and said, "Hi, Edward. See you inside, Bella!"

I turned my head so Edward couldn't see and stuck my tongue out at her for running off and leaving me alone with him. Then I turned around and smiled. "Good morning! The trim looks great!"

Edward's face was a mask of worry. "Bella, are you okay? I'm sorry I surprised you."

I waved off his apology. "I'm fine, really. Stuff like this happens to me so often that if I let it bother me for long, I'd never get anything done. I promise."

"Okay, but if your head hurts later, let me know, please. Oh, and I'm glad you like the trim. It really didn't take me long to do. If you wanna go on in, I'll bring the stuff over."

"Great, thanks," I murmured, smiling.

I grabbed my laptop, wallet, and notebook before heading inside. I set everything down on the counter and started pulling open all the drawers to see what, if anything, had been left behind. Angela had begun to clean the ends of each bookshelf, and I was shuffling through the papers in the first drawer, when there was a knock on the door.

I hurried over to open it for Edward and took the tray and paintbrush—both perfectly clean, I was happy to note—and smiled. "Come on in," I encouraged. "You can put it all back in the storage room."

Once he was back, he asked, "Do you want me to run the paint upstairs?"

I shook my head. "Nah, that's okay. I'll probably just keep it all down here. Thank you again."

"You're welcome." He smiled. "It really was no trouble and was probably safer than you getting up on the ladder again."

Angela stifled a laugh from across the room as I pretended to shove him toward the door.

"All right, thank you very much. Another klutzy moment I'll never live down. Now scoot. We have work to do, and you can't keep leaving your assistant alone to hang out here," I said with a sweep of my arm around the store, "even as fun as it may be."

He smirked. "Oh, I dunno about that. I think I could have plenty of fun here...but yes, I need to go. Give me a call if you need something or have any questions. See you later, Angela!" He waved and then left the store, closing the door behind him.

I locked it and fanned myself. "Whew! I just knew I was gonna do something else to embarrass myself."

"I'm not sure he cares, Bells. I think Mr. Cullen may be sweet on you." She waggled her eyebrows at me.

"Whatever," I said, feeling my face flame. "I'm sure he's just being friendly since we're neighbors now. Keep cleaning, and stop making up stories about my sexy new neighbor. I'm gonna finish going through the drawers, and then we can look at how to do the inventory."

She turned back to the shelves, but I could hear her singing softly, "Bella thinks he's sexy. Bella thinks he's sexy."

I rolled my eyes, but grinned goofily, nodding to myself because she was completely right.

The first two drawers were mainly trash, with a few papers that included important vendor numbers, as well as other helpful information. In the third drawer, I hit pay dirt. "Ang, come check this out."

She walked over, and I handed her a computer CD labeled _Final Inventory_. "Wow, that's great! Do you still wanna check it?"

"Yeah, I think I'd feel better that way. Let me see the disc, and I'll see how it's listed on there. Then I can make a copy so we each have one on our computers. We can start at opposite ends and meet in the middle, dusting and cleaning as we go. How's that sound?"

She handed me the CD. "Sounds good to me. I'll get two sets of cleaning stuff and set them at the places we'll need them to start."

I popped the CD into my laptop and quickly figured out that it was simply a spreadsheet with the books listed by category and then in alphabetical order according to author's last name. Perfect!

After copying the file to my computer, I put the disc into Angela's computer and copied it to hers before carrying her laptop to her and pointing out where she should start on the list. Then I made my way back to where the list started.

Three hours later, all the books had been checked off, including the ones in the storage room, and everything had been dusted and cleaned till they sparkled. Somewhere during that three hours, Ben had called and said he'd bring Chinese for lunch. When we finished the list, it was just about time, so we put away all the cleaning stuff and our laptops and then washed our hands.

Ben got to the store a few minutes later and banged on the door with a foot while calling out, "Lemme in, you guys! My hands are full!"

We laughed, and I went to unlock the door, opening it before taking a drink tray full of cups from one of his hands. "Ooh, good call on the drinks! We didn't think to bring anything with us this morning."

"I made sure to ask him when he called," Angela said, coming out from behind the counter.

"Oh! Hah, that shows where my mind was... I didn't hear anything during the call."

Ben had asked them to include some plastic silverware along with the chopsticks, and I smiled gratefully when I grabbed them. We all sank to the floor and grabbed our food, eating and talking about the day we'd had so far. Ben told us a story about a new customer that had come in for help with their computer that had us almost literally rolling on the floor laughing.

"Seriously, how the guy even manages to find the power button is beyond me!" He snickered again before taking another bite of his cashew chicken. "Oh, and Bella, I told them I was taking a long lunch. If you'll leave the keys for the store with me, I'll bring your new Mac in and get it all set up. I picked it up from the house on my way here."

I immediately pulled the keys from my pocket and slid them to him. I could use the computer easily, even figure out how to solve some issues with hardware and software on my own, but I really hated getting a new one set up. "Thanks, Ben! Did you grab the software I bought, too?"

"Yeah, I saw the sack beside the computer box. You got business software, right?"

I nodded. "I told the guy at the store what I was buying it for, and with my research and his recommendations, I got the latest version of Office, QuickBooks, as well as a few others. I also bought the system that came with Leopard pre-installed, which I researched and found is supposed to work well for business use."

"Sounds good," he agreed, nodding. "I'll get those all installed, and then later on, I can help teach you the basics of anything new to you. Most of it should be pretty simple for you, since you've used them for your personal stuff before."

We talked some about their upcoming move while we finished eating and then gathered up all the trash and threw it away.

"Okay, Bells, let's hit the road. We have more shopping to do!" Angela sounded much more cheerful than I felt.

"Woohoo," I said halfheartedly.

She laughed, grabbed our stuff, and then pulled me toward the door.

"Lock up when you leave, Ben, and thanks again!"

The door closed behind me, and Angela shoved me gently to the car. I got into the passenger seat, letting her drive since I wasn't sure where we were headed.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Ben's POV**

I waited a couple of minutes after the girls left and then grabbed the keys and left the store, locking the door behind me. Instead of going to the car to get the computer, I went next door to Cullen's place. I had a few words to say to him and then a favor to ask.

"Hi, welcome to Masen Music. Can I help you find something?" The girl behind the counter was tall and pretty, with an accent that made me realize she was from Australia or the UK—I could never tell which.

"Actually, I need to speak with Edward Cullen, if he's available. My name's Ben Cheney." I smiled to let her know that I was there for—what I hoped, anyway—a friendly visit.

"Oh, sure! Hold on just a minute while I call him down." She picked up the phone and dialed. After a few seconds, she said, "Hey, Edward. Ben Cheney just came in and said he'd like to speak with you." She was quiet a moment and then said okay into the phone before hanging up and turning back to me. "He'll be right down. He was just finishing lunch."

"Thank you," I replied, smiling at her.

She was obviously curious, but too polite to ask what business I had with her boss.

A couple of minutes later, a man walked out of the office behind the counter. "Thanks, Sasha. I'll be outside or next door if you need me."

She nodded and watched as he walked around to me.

He reached out his hand, and I shook it as he said, "Hello, Ben. Nice to meet you. Bella's told me a little bit about you, so I know who you are." He grinned. "Why don't we go outside and talk?"

"That would be great." I smiled at the young woman who was trying hard to look uninterested. "Thank you, Sasha. Nice to meet you."

She nodded her head in return as Edward and I walked out.

"Would you like to sit?" Edward asked, indicating the bench.

"Thanks, that would be fine." After we got situated, I finally got to the reason for my visit. "This may seem a bit forward...or premature...and I want you to know that neither Bella nor Angela knows I'm here. In fact, if Bella finds out, she'll probably have my head." I smiled ruefully, relieved when he chuckled. "But Bella is my fiancée's best friend, and she's the closest thing I have to a sister. So I feel like it's my duty to talk to you, especially since Angela and I are moving so soon and I won't be around to keep an eye on things. I know it's really too early to ask what your intentions are, and from everything they've both said, you seem like a nice guy, but know that if you ever hurt her or treat her badly, it won't matter where I'm living. In fact, you would probably have to worry about Angela more than you'd have to worry about me, and trust me when I say that you do _not_ want that. All I'm asking is that you treat her with respect and remember that if she were your sister and our positions were reversed, you treat her as you would want me to treat yours."

He looked at me quietly for a second and then nodded. "Understood. And Ben..." He waited until I was looking at him before continuing. "Thank you. I don't know her very well yet, but from what I do know, I know Bella is a beautiful, funny, friendly person and someone I definitely wanna get to know better. I'll treat her as well as I do my own mother and sisters. She's lucky to have you on her side looking out for her, even if she doesn't know it."

We both laughed, knowing that Bella wouldn't necessarily consider herself lucky to find out I was butting in.

"Good, then we're on the same page."

He inclined his head.

"Now, I have a favor to ask," I said, smiling.

"Sure, what's up?"

"If you have an hour free, I could use your help. Bella and Angela just left to go shopping, so they should be gone for most of the afternoon. I spoke to Angela about this, and asking you was actually her idea. Bella needs her store name painted on the window. Angela came up with a tagline to go under it, and we had a stencil made up with the name and the tagline done in a nice, easily-readable font. I'm gonna be installing Bella's new computer in the office, and I was wondering if I could get you to paint the stuff on the window as a surprise for Bella. Angela knew what color she was gonna use, so we know it's what she'll want on there; she just won't be expecting it to be done when she gets here in the morning."

He smiled. "I'd love to help. Let me poke my head in and tell Sasha I'll be gone for an hour or so, and then I'm all yours."

"Great, thanks. I know she'll appreciate it."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

"Where are we going first, Oh Great Leader?" I chuckled when Angela shot me a dark look.

"No need to be condescending," she said with a sniffle.

I looked at her, baffled, until I saw the smirk peeking out.

"Damn it! I thought I had it with a straight face." She giggled.

I laughed. "Nope, you've never been able to hide your emotions very well from me for long," I teased.

She made a sound that sounded vaguely like "hurmph" before answering my question. "How about we go simplest to hardest? Cheapest to most expensive? Same thing. I thought we'd start at Target and get the trash cans, the shower caddy or whatever, and anything else from there you can think of. Then we can go to Office Depot and get a desk chair and a guest chair for your office. Then we'll end up at Macy's for bedding and linens. How's that sound?"

I nodded. "Sounds good, actually. I wanna add one more place to the end of the list. Sitting there eating Chinese gave me an idea."

She looked at me expectantly before turning her attention back to the road.

"I'll tell you when we're done at Macy's."

I bit my lip to keep from grinning when she pouted.

"Fine, then," she huffed, turning up the radio.

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, worried I'd upset her, but I was relieved when I saw that she was looking at me the same way. We both started laughing and didn't stop until we reached Target.

It didn't take us long there. We grabbed one shopping cart, and within twenty minutes, we had six trash cans, a shower caddy to hold all my shampoos and stuff in the shower, plus a few other odds and ends. After checking out and loading the stuff into the trunk, we headed to Office Depot.

Shopping for a desk chair at Office Depot was a lot of fun.

"Hey, Bells, look at this one," Angela called out.

I walked over to see her sitting in a black chair that didn't look much different than some of the ones I'd already tried and rejected.

"Yeah, okay," I said, drawing out the word. "So is it more comfortable than the others we've tried or something? It looks the same." I shrugged.

She stood up and gestured for me to sit down. After I was seated, she picked up something and hit a button. Before I could say anything, my back and thighs were being massaged.

"Oh..." I groaned. "It's a massage chair! Wow, this feels amazing," I exclaimed, sighing as I relaxed back against the seat. "It's probably a lot more than I wanna spend, though." I started to get up.

"Sit there for a minute and give it a chance," Angela suggested. "Lemme read to you about it."

It had all the normal office chair features, plus three massage modes with three intensity levels and a rechargeable battery so you didn't have to worry about plugging it in. I still wasn't sold until she told me it was just under two hundred dollars.

"Woah, seriously? That's pretty much the same cost as the normal chairs. What the heck...I'm in!"

She clapped her hands once and grinned, picking up a slip to give the checkout person.

"Okay, now let's choose a guest chair for the office, too. Do you think only one, or should I get two?"

"I'd say two. You can always put it in the storage room, but that way if you have more than one person come in and need a chair, you have it available and don't have to drag something down from upstairs."

I nodded. "That makes sense. Okay, let's go see what they've got."

We laughed at some of the guest and reception chairs they had available. Some of them cost nearly a thousand dollars. I knew I'd like my customers and guests, but I didn't want them to be so comfortable in the office that they'd never leave. I shook my head, and we continued looking. After just a few more minutes, I found the one I wanted. It was a soft, comfortable leather, with arms and a metal base, so it should last for a while, and it was just under a hundred and fifty bucks. We grabbed a ticket for it, as well, and then began shopping for some office essentials. Six hundred and fifty dollars later, we pushed out our cart full of the office supplies.

"I'm so glad they said they would deliver the chairs on Monday. I don't think we could have stuffed all of them into the car!"

Angela laughed and nodded before sobering. "Okay, off to Macy's for bedding, right?"

Her serious expression had me grinning. "Yes, Master," I said solemnly, trying to stifle the giggle threatening to burst out of me.

She grinned. "That's Mistress, thank you very much."

I rolled my eyes as she drove out of the parking lot.

Macy's was only a couple of blocks from where we were, so we got there quickly. It took us nearly two hours, but by the time we finished, we each had five huge, full bags of bedding and other linens, including two cute, almost sheer curtain sets for the windows in the bedroom and living room, plus some drapes that should work well with the paint color and most of the bedding I'd gotten to have some privacy in the bedroom. I kind of liked Edward, but I didn't want to give him a show—yet.

When we finished at Macy's, I directed Angela to one of the local furniture stores. "I decided I wanna get a small table and a couple of chairs to put in the front of the store, by the window. That way, people can sit down to read through their books to help them choose or just relax and read for a bit."

"Great idea, Bella! When did you think of that?"

I smiled. "At lunch with Ben. If I'd thought of it while we were in Seattle, I'd have had us look then, but when we had to sit on the floor to eat lunch, I realized it would be the perfect place for something like that."

Before we could even get out of the car, Angela's phone rang. "Speaking of Ben..." She pushed a button on the phone and said, "Hey! What's up?" She paused for several minutes, making mmhmm and other similar noises, before saying, "Okay, great. We're still shopping, but I'll tell her. Thanks, honey. See you later."

"What's up?" I asked.

"Ben got finished setting up the computer and had to head back to work. He wasn't sure if we'd be going back there today, so just in case, he left the keys over with Edward." She couldn't help but laugh when I blushed.

"Oh, okay," I replied, grinning even through my embarrassment. To distract her from asking any questions or making any comments, I quickly got out of the car.

We walked in to the small store, and it didn't take us long to find the perfect items.

"Look at this table," Angela pointed. "It's got a glass top with dark wood, which makes it look really homey and nice, and the bottom part has four stools that people could pull out to sit on. They have leather tops, which is really nice, too."

We pulled out a couple of the stools and tried them, and they were pretty comfortable, even though they looked kind of small.

I nodded. "I love it. I love the idea of the extra seating, even though I dunno if I'll ever need it. Now to find chairs. I'd love to find some in a burgundy or something similar to match the awning and paint color that I'm gonna use for the store name on the window."

We walked around, waving off the salesman who started to come ask if he could help us. We both knew we'd rather just look around on our own first. Finally, we gave up, unable to find anything in the right color.

"I love this collection," I told Ang, "but I really wish it wasn't in tan."

"Let's ask and see if they have it in another color," she suggested. She waved over the salesman, who'd been standing near the register, waiting to see if we needed him.

"Hello, ladies. Did you see something you like?"

I smiled. "Actually, I really like this collection—the chair without arms and this chair with arms, although I don't want an ottoman. Unfortunately, I'm not too keen on the color. I don't suppose you have it in any other colors, do you?"

"Hmm, I believe we do, but I'll have to go check the computer. Why don't you follow me, and we'll look it up?" After he read the tag, we followed him to the counter. He punched in a few numbers and then turned the screen so we could see. "You're in luck. We have it in black, gray, and red. Do any of those interest you?"

"Oh! What color is the red? Could we get a look at it?"

He nodded. "Sure, give me a minute." He picked up the phone and punched a button. After asking whoever had answered the phone to bring up the right item number in the red color, he turned back to us and smiled. "Chad will be up with it in a couple of minutes. In the meantime, is there anything else I could help you with?"

"The round table with the stools that pull out from underneath that we were looking at... I'd love to get it, please."

"Oh, I know just the one you mean. Do you have a vehicle we can load it into, or would you like us to deliver it? It's a bit late to schedule today, but I think Saturday and Monday have a few openings."

"Delivery, please. Is there an extra charge?" I knew there would be, but since I had no other option at the moment, I figured that was our only choice.

"There is, unless your order is over one thousand dollars. We'll work that out after you see the chair." He pointed over our shoulders. "Speaking of, here's Chad now."

We turned around, and Angela and I both let out a little squeal of joy. He'd brought out the chair without arms, and it was a great color. It wasn't a perfect match, I was sure, but I doubted anyone would be able to tell.

"That's perfect," I said, grinning. "I want that one and one of the ones with the arms in that same color. Can I get it without the ottoman?"

"Absolutely," he answered, turning back to the computer.

A few minutes later, I'd paid and given him the delivery address, and we left the store, ready to return to the bookstore.

"I don't know about you, but I'm shopped out," I told Angela. "Totally and completely exhausted."

"It's a good thing we're done, then," she laughed. "Let's go drop all this stuff off, and then we can go home. You need to call your dad and confirm when he's coming tomorrow anyway, right?"

I nodded. "You know how forgetful he can be. It would probably be safest to call and make sure he even remembers." I grinned, knowing he'd never really forget, but it would be fun to tease him a little bit on the phone.

We drove to the store to drop off all the bags of stuff we'd bought, and when we pulled up and parked, Angela was quiet. I didn't think much of it, just assumed she was as tired as I was, so I just headed to the trunk. Pulling out a stack of the trash cans, I grabbed as many bags of stuff as I could, stuffed them into the top can, and then picked it up carefully, leaving the trunk open for Ang to grab the few remaining sacks.

"Hey, Ang, there aren't many bags left. Could you grab the others and shut the trunk please? I'm gonna set this down by the door and then go ask Edward for the keys."

"Sure, Bella," she said, climbing out of the car. She sounded odd for some reason, but I figured I'd ask what the problem was once we'd gotten inside.

I stepped over the curb and onto the sidewalk and took two more steps before the new paint on the window caught my eye. I stood there, unmoving, for at least a minute, my mouth hanging open slightly. I could hear Ang behind me fidgeting quietly, but it barely registered. I dropped the load in my arms to the sidewalk, leaning on the edge of the trash can to help keep me upright. Tears sprang to my eyes, and even though I swiped at them, I couldn't stop them from falling down my cheeks. I read the window again.

In the perfect burgundy I'd chosen and in someone's beautiful script, it read: _Bella's Books. _Below it, in the same navy as the trim and written in the same script, was the phrase: _Where dreams and imagination live and flourish._

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I was helping Sasha with some paperwork for inventory when I saw Bella and Angela pull up outside. I watched as Bella moved around to the trunk and began to unload some of the things from their shopping trip.

"Sasha, we'll finish this in a bit," I said, smiling. I grabbed Bella's keys and moved to the window, where I could watch until she got closer to her store.

I kept my eyes on her as she talked to her friend and then made her way up to the sidewalk. I knew the moment she saw the window, because she froze like a deer in headlights and dropped the stuff she was carrying. I watched as she leaned on it for support, and then her hand moved to her face, swiping at what must've been tears.

_Damn,_ she didn't like it.

"I'll be back in a minute," I murmured to Sasha and then hurried out of the store. Within seconds, I was at Bella's side.

I handed the keys to Angela, who'd moved up behind Bella, and said quietly, "I'm sorry, Bella. If you don't like it, I can remove it. Ben assured me this would be what you wanted, but if I overstepped my bounds..." I let my voice trail off as she turned to me.

Her eyes glistened with tears that had spilled out and were silently making their way down her beautiful face. "You painted this?"

At my nod, she threw her arms around my neck and wept openly. I nervously stroked her back, whispering my reassurances that it was easily removable.

Suddenly, she backed away and shook her head. "You don't understand. I love it. It's perfect," she whispered, looking back at the window.

I smiled then, relieved. "I'm glad! It was actually Angela's idea. Ben asked me when you guys left to go shopping if I had time to paint it while he set up your computer."

She squealed and threw herself at Angela, who fell back against the car, laughing. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Bella told her. "It's perfect!"

I caught Angela's eye and motioned to my store, letting her know that I was going back inside. She nodded and continued to hug Bella, who was once again crying. This time, I wasn't worried. I knew the tears were ones of happiness and joy, not sadness.


	9. Chapter 9

**Outtake 2: Gettin' Our Honeymoon On  
Edward's POV**

Bella and I had been on our honeymoon at Whidbey Island for four and a half days and had done nothing but sit out on the deck, soak in the jacuzzi, and make love. It was paradise, surrounded by all the trees, flowers, and wildlife. We'd watched as deer had come near the cabin the day before, actually close enough to see the doe and her fawn without having to strain. Bella and I had held our breaths as they came out to walk through the "backyard" together, the fawn prancing around its mother.

We woke to the sound of birds each morning, our bodies wrapped around one another, and went to bed each night only after a bath together in the clawfoot tub and one last round of sex. We'd always had a healthy sex life together, but it seemed like we couldn't get enough; we were insatiable.

_Not that either of us was complaining..._

I'd woken her earlier that morning with a kiss, told her to dress in layers after her shower, and then hurried outside with my cell phone. She'd had no idea what was going on, and she'd known it was pointless to ask, so she'd done as I'd asked her to and worn jeans, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, and had a jacket, "just in case," she said.

As we drove onto the ferry, she finally figured out where we were going.

"We're going to San Juan Island?" she asked excitedly. Like Whidbey, that was another place she'd never been.

I grinned and nodded as I put the car in park and turned off the engine. "I figured we could do some shopping this morning, have a good lunch somewhere, and then there's a whale watching tour this afternoon if you're interested."

She threw herself across the seat as best she could, hugging me tight. "I would love that!"

"Good." I laughed. "Now, let's get out and go sit at one of the cafes up top. I dunno about you, but I need coffee."

It was going to be an hour's ride to San Juan Island, so we sat at one of the little tables provided and talked while we ate and watched the scenery go by. A few minutes into our trip, Bella spoke up.

"Alice asked me something last week," she said. At my raised eyebrow, she continued, "She asked if we'd thought about moving out of the apartment above the store."

"Oh?" I chuckled. "Emmett asked me the same thing. He said a house down the block from them came on the market and we should move in."

She laughed. "He'd be over all the time, wouldn't he?"

I nodded, rolling my eyes, knowing how crazy it would be to live that close to Emmett. "All the damn time." I was quiet a minute and then asked, "What'd you tell her?"

"Well," she hedged, "of course she didn't know about the wedding yet, so I said maybe after we got married. I mean, of course I'll wanna think about a house at some point. I know we've talked about having kids, but I'm not ready for that yet. Are, uh... Are you?"

I smiled and lifted her hand, which had been resting on my leg, to my mouth to press a kiss to her palm. "No, love, not yet. But a house..." I hummed, grinning. "That's something to consider."

My cell phone rang, and when I pulled it out of my pocket, I raised an eyebrow and said, "Sasha," before flipping it open and saying hello.

As I spoke to my assistant about a new music book delivery, I watched Bella, who had turned to watch the fantastic scenery pass by. I'd pulled the camera out of my sweatshirt pocket when we got out of the car, so she was taking the opportunity to snap some pictures.

Finally, the announcement came over the speakers to get back into our vehicle, so I took her hand, and we quickly made our way back to our car. On the way through the passenger area, she grabbed a few brochures about Friday Harbor.

Once in the car and waiting to unload, she flipped through the colorful pages, idly wondering aloud if she could find ideas on where she wanted to shop.

"Ooh, this place looks cute." She showed me a picture of Island Studios. "They sell 'Fine Arts and Crafts from the Artists of the San Juan Islands,'" she quoted. "That would be a neat place to look for some souvenirs."

"Then that's where we'll go," I said, smiling. "Does it say how to get there?"

~*~CIBD~*~

Bella had given me great directions on getting to Island Studios. The place was...eclectic. I saw paintings, photographs, and prints hanging on the walls and in racks, jewelry and glasswork on padded stands and shelves, pottery and books on bookshelves, and more.

"I wanna look at the jewelry," Bella said. "I think Alice, Rose, and your mom would love a pretty necklace or something."

Once at the jewelry, Bella gravitated immediately to a deep red glass pendant on a sterling silver chain; the red had black swirls through it. Bella promptly declared it perfect for Rose before moving on around to look at the rest. For my mom, she found a pendant of a bright mosaic of glass reminiscent of the Carnival of Venice that she thought my mom would love because it looked like stained glass.

"What about this for Alice?" I asked, pointing to one that caught my eye. "The layers of white ribbons of glass through the clear glass look almost like a crystal ball." I snorted. "She's always teasing about being a psychic. She should love that."

Bella agreed that it was perfect and then pointed out two she'd found that she liked for herself. One was a mixture of different shades of green on black, reminding me of a forest. The other was a mix of blues and greens, reminding me of the ocean.

"Which do you like better?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Why not get both?" I countered, shrugging. "They're both beautiful."

She shook her head. "No need to spend that much. I'll just get this one," she said, pointing to the "forest" one.

I knew somehow that I'd need to figure out a way to get Bella out to the car alone so I could buy the other as a surprise. Luckily, she was tugging me away to look at silk scarves, claiming a black one with bright red flowers on it was perfect for Angela.

"There's so much outside that I want to look at," she sighed, giving a wistful look to the door leading out to the garden sculptures and iron work. "I don't wanna buy any—they would be a pain to carry home, and we don't really have a place to put them—but the pictures in the brochure were pretty."

That's when I grabbed my chance. "Why don't you go look, and I'll take this stuff up and pay for them? You can meet me at the car when you're ready."

She wasted no time in agreeing, and with a kiss to my lips, she handed me the scarf.

I moved quickly up to the counter and grabbed the other necklace Bella had wanted, adding it to my pile at the register.

"Did you find everything?" the young woman behind the counter asked brightly.

I nodded. "Yes, thanks." Pointing to the gift for Bella, I asked, "Could you ring that up first, please? It's a gift for my wife, and I wanna hide it before she sees I've bought it."

The woman flashed a huge grin and picked up the box, keyed in the information to the register, and then handed it to me before beginning to add in the rest of our order.

I slid the single box into my sweatshirt pocket, out of Bella's view, just as she came around the corner.

"That stuff was great," she said, "but I'm hungry. Do we have time to eat before we go?"

"Yeah," I said, handing the young woman my credit card. "The tour I thought we'd take doesn't start until noon. We can grab lunch first."

"I'd suggest checking out the restaurant in the Friday Harbor House, down on West Street," the clerk said as she handed me the credit card slip to sign. "It's got great steak, salad, and seafood, and the prices aren't outrageous."

"Thanks," Bella told her, smiling. "That sounds good."

"Have a great time in Friday Harbor," the young woman called as we left the store.

~*~CIBD~*~

After a lunch of a lamb burger with wild nettle pesto and golden beet slaw for me and a roasted chicken salad with apple, walnuts, white cheddar, and mixed greens for Bella, we drove to the docks, where we parked in the designated area. Before we left the vehicle, I put our purchases in the trunk and grabbed the bag I'd stashed there. Bella looked at me in surprise.

"I figured out ahead of time what we'd need and made sure to bring it," I said proudly. I hadn't known for sure this is what we'd be doing this week, but I'd known it was a possibility.

"What's in it?" she asked, pulling her jacket on as we walked. The wind had kicked up a bit, so the air had a slight chill to it.

"Little bit of everything," I said. "Hats and sunglasses for both of us, sunscreen, a water bottle, and extra batteries and a memory card for the camera."

She laughed and teased, "Well, at least we're prepared!"

I poked her side and laughed as she squealed away from me.

Once we'd checked in—I'd made our reservations first thing early that morning—we settled on the deck of the boat, waiting for the rest of the passengers to board so we could take off on the three-hour tour. Hopefully, we wouldn't end up like Gilligan!

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

It was nearly seven o'clock when we finally pulled up at the cabin. We'd stopped at Front Street Grill to pick up dinner to eat here at our temporary home, and it smelled delicious from the back seat of the car.

We'd decided to share each course, so instead of sitting at the table to eat, we curled up on the floor in front of the fire. It really wasn't cold enough to warrant it, but since we'd both stripped out our clothes, the small fire we kept going was just enough to keep us warm.

Over the next thirty minutes, we fed each other bites of coconut prawns with a sweet chili dipping sauce, spicy seafood fettuccine with fresh fish, mussels, and prawns, and a sinfully good chocolate lava cake, which oozed perfectly when we cut through it.

"That was the best thing we've had to eat since we got here," I said, lying comfortably full on the floor on my side in front of Edward. He was spooning me from behind, so I turned my head to kiss him, just enjoying the warmth of the fire and being with my husband.

"Mmm," he agreed.

There was no need for words then, and we lay quietly, trading kisses and holding one another for a long time. Edward added more wood to the fire a few times, settling in beside me after each time. We were taking every moment of our honeymoon to just relax and be together. Edward was a romantic guy anyway, but he'd really stepped it up this week—dinner by the fire was just proof of that.

That wasn't to say everything was sweet and romantic in bed. We'd had sex on almost every surface of the cabin—from the huge tub, the deck, the dining room table, the kitchen counter, and the couch. Speaking of...

"I think want to skip the soak in the tub tonight," I said, turning around to face him and raising my eyebrow teasingly. "Is that okay?"

He grinned. "I think I'm okay with that..." He kissed me, trailing his fingers lightly down my back. "Do you wanna go on upstairs while I put out the fire?"

Then his fingers slipped through the wetness between my legs, and I realized there was no way I wanted to move from that spot.

"Or we could just light a bigger fire right here," I purred, tangling my fingers in his hair and drawing him down for a kiss.

~*~CIBD~*~

The fire had died completely by the time we lay side by side, panting, our sweat-slicked skin cooling without the flames.

"Come on, love," Edward said as he stood, holding his hand out for me. "Quick shower and then bed."

"But I'm not really sleepy," I said, confused, even as I took his hand.

He pulled me to him, one arm around my waist and the other hand on my ass, and said with a smirk, "Neither am I."

Then he winked before turning and making his way up the stairs, laughing as I hurried to follow him, enjoying the view all the way up.


	10. Chapter 10

**Saturday Morning, Early  
Bella's POV**

When my alarm went off at seven o'clock Saturday morning, I almost decided to throw it against the wall, roll over, and go back to sleep.

Fortunately, Angela knocked on my door and walked into the room, flipping on the light.

"Ang! Too bright, too bright!"

She just laughed and said, "Girl, ya gotta get up! You know your dad'll be here in two hours. We should be ready to go when he gets here. Take a shower and wake up, then come out, and we'll make omelets together, okay?"

I smiled. Angela and I had been making omelets together for years and had it down to a science. "Okay, okay, I'm up. Be out there in a few minutes," I mumbled groggily.

She left the room and closed the door behind her as I climbed out of bed. Grabbing a pair of old jeans and a ratty T-shirt, along with comfortable panties and a bra, I made my way into the bathroom and set them on the counter. After making sure both doors were locked, I undressed, answered Mother Nature, and then climbed into the shower, turning the water on as hot as I could stand it. With a quick wash of my hair and body, I called it good. No need to worry about shaving today, thank goodness. I wasn't awake enough to handle not cutting myself.

After drying off and slathering on a thick coat of deodorant—there would be a ton of sweating involved with the moving in of furniture—I dressed quickly and brushed my hair, pulling it up in a ponytail to let it dry. I went back to the bedroom, threw on my socks and sneakers, and then headed to the kitchen to help with breakfast.

The smell of coffee hit me as soon as I opened my door. "Oh thank you, thank you! Come to me, Nectar of the Gods!"

Angela laughed as she handed me my doctored mug.

I took a careful sip. "Mmm, just what I needed."

"Good. Ben'll be out in a few minutes. He was getting in the shower as soon as you finished. I have everything chopped for the eggs, and the biscuits are in the oven. If you wanna start making the omelets, now would probably be a good time."

I nodded, cracking eggs into a big bowl. All of us liked cheese and bacon in our omelets, so I went ahead and added the shredded cheddar cheese and the chopped bacon, which Angela had already cooked, and mixed it all together. In went a little bit of salt and black pepper with the eggs, a bit of cooking spray into the pan on the stove, and then I poured a bit of the egg mixture into the skillet.

Ben came in as I was taking the first omelet off the stove, so I put it on a plate and handed it to him, letting him add ingredients to the middle before he folded it over. I quickly made Angela's and then mine and turned off the stove before heading over to the stuff Angela had chopped. After topping mine with some green peppers, mushrooms, salsa, onions, and more cheese, I finally decided that was plenty. Angela had set out glasses of milk and juice as well as napkins and silverware, so I took my place at the table.

Looking around, I laughed. "We're so predictable," I said, grinning. "Angela has her spinach, onion, and tomato, and Ben, you have 'everything but the kitchen sink' in yours. Is that leftover asparagus from the other night?"

He grinned. "Yes, and it's delicious."

I shuddered. To each his own, I supposed.

A minute later, the buzzer on the oven sounded. "Oh! The biscuits," Angela cried, rushing over to the oven and grabbing an oven mitt before pulling out the tray. She turned off the oven and the buzzer before tossing all the biscuits into a basket and grabbing the butter and jam out of the fridge on her way back to the table.

None of us talked much as we ate, except for the occasional moans because of the food. After we finished, the three of us worked together clean up the breakfast mess. When we finished, it was only eight o'clock, so we went into the living room and flipped through the channels until we found a movie that we all liked.

Forty-five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I hopped up and peeked out the window to make sure it was my dad. When I saw him standing on the porch, I threw open the door, wrapping my arms around him. "Hi, Dad! Thanks for coming up to help."

He gave my shoulders a squeeze. "No problem, Bells. I, uh, Sue wanted to come and help. I hope that was okay."

I looked over his shoulder to see Sue, his still fairly new wife, standing off to the side. "Of course it was okay. Hi, Sue! it's good to see you. Come on in, guys." I moved out of the way so they could come inside.

Angela and Ben got up and came over to us. Angela gave them both a hug, and Ben shook their hands.

"Thanks for coming up, Charlie," Ben said. "Not sure how I'd, uh, I mean, we'd have moved everything in if it were just the three of us."

Sue said, "Bella, could you and I sit down for a minute before we go? I'm going to go shopping and need your help making a list."

I smiled and nodded, motioning for the others to go ahead and sit down in the living room. "Come on into the kitchen, Sue. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

She nodded. "Is there enough for your dad? He was in such a rush this morning that I couldn't get him to slow down enough to drink any, and I know he'll really be able to use it."

I laughed and poured him a cup, leaving it black, and then handed it to her.

"I'll take this in to him while you pour mine, if that's okay. Just black for me as well," she said.

"No problem. Just meet me at the table."

I poured two more cups, adding in sugar and creamer to mine, and took both mugs to the table just in time to see her sitting down with a piece of paper and a pen. "What are you going shopping for?"

"Well, I told your father that you probably hadn't thought to get groceries and things like that. Was I right?"

I blushed. "Of course. I did take toilet paper! We had paper towels there, along with other cleaning supplies, but I didn't think about groceries and things like that."

"That's where I come in, then," she said, smiling. "Let's make a list of things you _know_ you want. Then while you guys are all moving in the furniture and stuff, I'll go get the stuff on the list. That way you don't have to worry about it while you're trying to unpack and get everything set up. Does that sound okay?"

"Okay? It sounds perfect! Thank you, Sue. I appreciate it so much." It was such a sweet thing to do, and since my mom wasn't around, I appreciated the motherly gesture. "By the way, how are the kids?"

"They're good. Leah just got married recently, as you know. She and her husband live on the reservation and are doing well. Seth is still in college, loving every minute of it. He and Jacob are still roommates in an apartment off campus. Jake graduates next year, and Seth the year after. I think both their plans are still the same, to come home after graduation and work in Forks. Both have serious girlfriends, although I don't know if they're looking at long-term or just serious for now."

"Oh, good! I haven't talked to either of them in ages. Now that I'm this close to Forks, I'll have to get in touch with them. I still have their e-mail addresses somewhere in all my stuff, so once I'm all moved in, I'll hit them up. Please give Leah my best and tell her I said congratulations."

She smiled. "I certainly will. Now, let's talk about groceries."

We spent about fifteen minutes making a list, and then I grabbed our mugs and rinsed them out, putting them into the dishwasher. "Dad, could you bring me your coffee so I can put it in here before we head out please?" Once he'd brought in his mug, I added it to the others and started the dishwasher. "Everyone ready?"

Ben, Angela, and Sue nodded. "I'll drive the truck over. Dad, do you wanna ride with me?" He nodded, so I continued. "Sue, you can drive Dad's car, and then Ben can bring his, filled with boxes, and Angela can bring mine. That way, everyone has a way to get home after we finish, and Sue has a car to go shopping with. Sound good to everyone?"

"Oh, that reminds me. I brought a few boxes from my house as well, Bella," my dad said. "Stuff, uh, of your mom's that you wanted."

"Thanks for remembering, Dad. I appreciate it." I smiled to let him know I meant it. "Okay, everyone good with the plan?"

"Works for me," Ben said, grabbing his keys out of his pocket.

I tossed mine to Angela and saw my dad slip his to Sue. We grabbed everything we needed and then filed out the door, letting Ben lock it behind us.

Sue said, "Which way are you going to go?" When I pointed to the right, the way Charlie's car was already facing, she said, "Okay, I'll go ahead and pull up and out of the way, and that way I can follow behind you guys."

Ben and Angela got into the vehicles and followed Sue down the street a bit so they could be in line when I was ready.

"Ready, Dad?" I hopped up into the cab of the truck, and after he was in and we were both buckled up, I started the massive thing and carefully pulled out onto the street. We waved as we passed the cars and made our way the few miles to the store.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I woke up just before my alarm was set to go off, hopped out of bed, and took a fast shower. I knew that Emmett would never stop teasing me if he could see how excited I was about seeing Bella again, so I tried to calm myself down before they all came over. Before heading into the kitchen to start breakfast, I threw on a pair of old jeans and a ratty Beatles T-shirt, padding barefoot into the kitchen.

I'd just started to get out the ingredients when there was a knock on the apartment door, and my family let themselves in.

"Good morning," Alice's voice rang out.

"Morning, guys," I called from the kitchen. "Make yourselves at home. I'm just starting breakfast."

I heard the guys settle down on the sofa and flip on the TV, and then Rose and Alice walked in.

"Can we help?" Rose asked.

"Nah, I've got it covered, but thanks. What's all that?"

Rose and Alice both had their arms full of pretty vases filled with fresh flowers of different varieties.

They set them on the other counter as Alice replied, "We wanted to give Bella a welcome gift and thought that since she was moving into a new place, flowers for both the store and her new apartment would be pretty."

As I put the biscuits into the oven, I smiled. "I'm sure she'll love them. That was really sweet."

They sat down at the table and talked with me as I fried up the bacon and scrambled the eggs. Just before it was all ready, I asked, "Can you guys pour glasses of orange juice and coffee for everyone? Breakfast should be ready in about two minutes."

Rose got the milk and juice out of the fridge while Alice got out mugs for the coffee and small glasses for the juice. They began putting them onto the table as the guys wondered in and sat down. I dished up the eggs and bacon, got the biscuits out and added them to the plates, and then turned off the stove and oven.

"Jasper, here's your plate," I said, handing it to him before setting mine down at my place. "I took our eggs out a minute or so before everyone else's so they aren't as done."

He grinned. "Thanks, man. Smells delicious."

I finished handing out plates and grabbed a fork for everyone. I saw that the girls had put out the butter and a knife for the biscuits already, along with the milk and sugar for those that wanted it with their coffee.

Everyone dug into their food, and all was quiet until Emmett piped up. "So, Eddie," he said, ignoring my growl at the use of the nickname, "ready to meet your potential father-in-law?"

I choked on the juice I'd just drunk and glared. "Geez, Em, keep comments like that to yourself today, please. I just met her a few days ago. You want 'em to think I'm some psycho crazy stalker or something?"

He laughed so hard, I was afraid he was going to choke. "Dude, it's not like you're sneaking into her bedroom while she sleeps! But okay, man, I get it. I'll be cool around Bella and her family and friends."

I flashed him a grateful smile.

"Still, you didn't answer my question..."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure it'll be fine. After all, it's the group of us, not just me."

We finished eating, and Emmett and Jasper got up to do the dishes after being prompted by Rose and Alice. The three of us sat there drinking our coffee and talking as the guys loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the mess I'd made cooking.

By the time they were done, it was almost nine o'clock. I said, "Okay, I'm gonna go down and open the store and wait for Sasha, who should be here anytime. I'll call you guys when Bella gets here. Lock the door behind you when you come down, please."

A few minutes later, I'd made sure Sasha was settled in for the morning and was sitting at the piano, working on my latest composition, when I saw the U-Haul and caravan of vehicles pull up next door. I grabbed my phone and called upstairs, telling them it was time. A minute later, the group came out of the office and met me by the door.

We walked outside, and I noticed Bella and her friends Angela and Ben alongside an older woman. An older man, who I assumed was her father, had his back to me and was up near the front of the truck, a cell phone to his ear. Bella and the others were all standing next to a few stacks of boxes. Angela saw me first and nudged Bella. When she looked up, I saw surprise flash across her face before she smiled, looking happy to see me.

"Hi, Edward! This is a surprise. What are you doing here?" She looked around me to see the rest of my family. "Umm, hi. I'm Bella."

"My family and I came to help you move all your stuff in. This is my brother, Emmett, and his wife, Rosalie. Shorty there is our sister, Alice, and the one she's jumping up and down beside is her boyfriend, Jasper."

"Nice to meet you all. You certainly didn't have to come help!" She turned to yell at her dad and the older woman. "Dad, Sue. Come meet some friends of mine."

The man turned around, and my eyes grew wide. "Chief Swan? You're Bella's father?"

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

When Edward said that to Charlie, I gasped. "How do you know my dad?"

"I knew his name sounded familiar," Angela murmured to me.

"Hey, kids. It's good to see you all. I haven't seen your parents in a while. I heard they were overseas?"

Edward smiled. "Yes, sir. My dad works for Doctors Without Borders every so often." He looked down at me. "You never mentioned your last name or where your father lived. My parents moved to Forks when Alice started college. We know your dad from our visits home to see our parents over school breaks and things. That's why we live here now, so we can be close, but not right on top of them."

"Ahh, what a small world!" I was still having trouble processing that they were here, let alone that they knew Charlie. "Dad, Edward owns the music store"—I gestured to the building next door—"and lives above it."

"Oh, great! Edward, keep an eye on my little girl, will ya?"

He smiled quickly in my direction before replying. "Of course, Chief Swan."

"Please, call me Charlie." He motioned to Sue. "I don't know if you know her kids, Seth and Leah, but this is my wife, Sue. Her late husband's name was Clearwater. She came to do some grocery shopping for Bella while we unload the truck."

Before we could get any further into playing "This Is Your Life," afraid of any embarrassing stories that might come to light, I decided to take control. "Let's get moving, everyone. I wanna be finished by lunchtime so I can buy everyone pizza in my new place." It was then that I noticed the flowers Alice and Rosalie were holding. "Oh, do you need to go set those down in Edward's shop?"

"No, silly," Alice said, her voice twinkling with laughter. "These are from us for you as a 'welcome to the neighborhood and good luck on opening the store' gift!"

"Thank you so much," I said, touched. "They're beautiful! Here, lemme open the door so you can put them down. I'm sure they're heavy by now."

"Ah, I can hold on to a car's engine, and Alice can lift stacks of fabric taller than she is. No biggie," Rosalie said, smiling.

Still, I quickly unlocked the door and tossed the truck keys to my dad, who went to unlock the truck. Alice, Rosalie, and Angela followed me inside, while the guys stayed outside.

Sue stuck her head in. "Okay, Bella. Is there anything else you need besides what we talked about earlier?"

"Get some beer and sodas to go with the pizza for lunch today, please. Hold on, and I'll get you money from my purse."

"Don't worry about it now. You can pay me back for that later. If no one else wants anything, then I'll head out." When the others shook their heads, she waved and then left.

"Bella, Edward has told us how you two met, but not much else. We'll have to all sit down together later and chat," Alice said, smiling. "You, too, Angela. He told us that you and Ben are newly engaged and moving to Seattle. Congratulations! It's a great city to live in. Jasper and I have lived there for a while but are about to move here, actually. So we're switching towns!"

Her excitement was contagious, and within minutes, the four of us were chatting like long-lost friends about Seattle, Forks, and Port Angeles.

"Hey, you ladies gonna stand there in the way talking all day, or unlock the door to upstairs and let us through?" Emmett's voice was muffled as he, Jasper, and Edward came into the store with their arms full, my dad and Ben behind them, each carrying heavy boxes, as well.

"It would probably be easier to go up the stairs outside," I said, smiling as the guys rolled their eyes.

Alice and Rosalie set the vases down on the floor in the corner, away from all the action, and then the four of us went to grab our own armfuls of furniture and stuff from the truck. We left the heaviest stuff for the guys, carrying the smaller pieces inside and up the stairs as quickly as we could.

An hour or so after we started unloading the truck, the guys from the local furniture store delivered the two chairs and the table for the shop. Everyone admired them and said they looked great by the windows, so I was extra pleased that it wasn't just me. I gave them one last look and then continued carrying things upstairs.

A few hours later, the truck was empty, the flowers were on the counter in the store and the kitchen, and Sue and I had just finished putting away the groceries while my dad and Edward hooked up the washer and dryer so Alice could wash some of the new bedding I'd gotten. Angela and Rose, as she'd told me to call her, had agreed when she'd said there was no way she was letting me sleep on unwashed bedding. I'd shrugged and said that was fine, but I was way too tired to wash anything today. They waved away my excuses and said that was fine, they would do it themselves.

I paid Sue for the lunch drinks and then asked, "Okay, who's ready for pizza?"

There was a chorus of cheers from the bodies littered around my living room.

I asked who wanted what, and when everyone shouted at once, I decided to forget asking and just order four or five different kinds and hope that everyone would be happy. I was too tired to try to sort it out more than that.

I called in the order and said, "You guys make yourselves comfortable. I'm gonna take a drink and go wait downstairs for the pizza."

Edward walked into the living room from the hallway, where he'd finished helping my dad with the washer and dryer. "Do you mind company?"

Alice, Rose, and Angela all laughed quietly, poking at each other and looking at me teasingly when I shrugged and said, "Sure, that'd be nice." I turned and glared at them before grabbing a soda from the fridge. "Do you want something?"

"A beer would be great, thanks," he said, smiling. He took it from me and then opened the door, letting me walk out ahead of him before he shut the door behind us. "Don't mind Alice and Rose. They're mainly just teasing me. I, uh, talked quite a bit about you last night at dinner."

My heart fluttered at his admission. "That's okay. Angela's teased me a lot, too."

We sat down in the new chairs by the store window and set our drinks on the table.

"This was a great idea," he said, nodding to the setup.

"Thanks! We were eating lunch the other day, the three of us, and I realized it might be a nice place for people to come in and sit while they look over books they wanna buy. There's just enough room that it doesn't feel crowded, I think."

He nodded. "You're right. There's plenty of room, even with the chairs and table. So you're little Isabella Swan, hmm?"

I laughed and said, "I swear, everyone at the station still acts like I'm the same as I was when I was six years old and visiting Charlie! I was more shocked than you were when it turned out that you knew my dad, believe me. I certainly didn't expect that."

"Well, we really didn't talk much about stuff like that at lunch the other day, so it's no surprise that it never came up in conversation. Did you grow up in Forks?"

"No, my parents divorced when I was little, and I moved to Phoenix with my mom. I spent summers with Charlie, though, until college, when I would see him as much as my schedule allowed. That's how I met Angela and Ben, when I was visiting one summer. She and I became instant friends and looked forward to every visit. I never even had friends in Phoenix that I was as close to, as odd as that sounds. Once we got old enough, we began writing letters, and then e-mailing, as well as talking on the phone almost every day until we could see each other. Sometimes her parents would let her come visit me in Phoenix during a long weekend, and of course, I'd see her when I was visiting Charlie." I smiled, thinking back to the past when things seemed so easy. "When we got close to graduation, we both decided we would go to school in Seattle. She and Ben had begun dating in high school, and he was gonna go to the same school as us, so we've all been pretty inseparable for years now."

"It must be hard, knowing they're moving back to Seattle soon," Edward said softly, his eyes focused solely on my face as he watched me.

"It is," I said, nodding. "I took it especially hard at first, since I really didn't know anyone else here in town."

"Well, hopefully knowing that I'll be right next door and my sister and Rose are here in town will help a little. At least this way, you know you won't be completely alone." He smiled, and I felt my heart flutter again.

"I think it will, yeah," I said, smiling back. "Alice seems a lot like Angela, actually. She was very..." I paused, trying to think of a polite word to describe his pixie-like sister.

"Energetic?" he voiced.

I laughed. "Yeah, that's a good word. For such a little person, she sure has a lot of energy."

He snorted. "Emmett and I have called her the Energizer Pixie for years. She loves it. Fortunately, she has Jasper, who's as calm and mellow as she is outgoing and energetic. They balance each other out well. So how about your mom? Does she still live in Phoenix?"

I felt my smile fade away slowly. "No. A few years ago, she and her husband Phil were driving home after a baseball game—he was a pro ballplayer—and were hit by a drunk driver. They were killed instantly."

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Edward said, frowning. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have said anything."

I shook my head. "It's okay. It's been a while, but it's still hard for me to talk about."

I was saved from saying anything else when the guy drove up with our pizzas. I pulled a stack of cash out of my pocket, and Edward waved it away. "My treat. Consider this my 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift," he said, grinning.

"Are you sure?" I hated taking things from people, like the groceries and stuff from Sue and my dad, and the pizzas, which cost quite a bit, from Edward.

"Positive. I'll get it if you'll grab my drink and then the doors on our way up."

After he paid and took the pizzas, I locked the door behind him, and then we made our way upstairs. We walked in and laughed at everyone in the living room. Ben had brought my Wii over and had apparently set it up while we were downstairs. Someone had also hung the TV. The guys all had controllers in their hand, playing doubles tennis against each other. Angela, Alice, Rose, and Sue were sitting back, drinks in hand, watching the men play and laughing at how ridiculous they looked.

"Pizza's here," I said and then scooted out of the way as the guys tossed their controllers to the couch and ran to the kitchen.

After everyone had their pizza and drinks, we sat around the couch and floor in the living room, all talking about Forks and the latest happenings in town. Sue talked some about the issues the tribe was facing out on the reservation, and I promised her again that I would contact Seth and Jacob both, asking her to give my regards to the others on the rez that I knew.

When the pizza was gone, my dad stretched and looked at his watch. "Well, kiddo, I hate to eat and run, but I have to get up early tomorrow for work. If you need any more help, just give me a call, and I can always run up here on my next day off." He looked around the room. "I think you'll have plenty of help right here in town, though, so I won't be surprised if you don't need your old man much anymore."

I stood and gave him a hug. "I'll always need you, Dad. You and Sue don't know how much I appreciate all the help today. Thank you both so much." I let him go and gave Sue a hug, as well.

"We're glad we could help," she said, smiling. "You have my number, right?" When I nodded, she said, "Call me anytime. I know your mom would love to be the one to help you, but since she can't be, I just wanna make sure you know I'm here if you need me."

My eyes welled with tears, and I brushed them away. "Thanks, Sue. I know. I'll give you guys a call soon and plan to come down and visit once I've got the store up and running."

"Maybe we'll all come down," Alice chimed in. "I'm sure my parents would love to see us once they get back!"

"I'm sure they would," my dad said, nodding.

"I'll be right back, guys. I'm gonna walk them downstairs." I waited until Sue had grabbed her purse, and then I followed the two of them out the door and down the stairs outside.

After hugging them again, I watched as they climbed in the car and left, waving as they drove away. Once they were out of sight, I collapsed onto the bottom step of the stairs and began to cry.

Several minutes later, Alice poked her head out of the apartment and spotted me, rushing down to put her arms around me. "Bella, sweetie, what's wrong?"

I sniffled once, calming myself down. "I guess it just hit me that I'm finally on my own. In a couple of weeks, Ben and Angela will be gone, and my dad won't be in the same town, either, so I'm truly on my own. The thought is just a little scary suddenly. I'm being silly, I know."

"No, definitely not silly. Although, Bella, you know you aren't really alone. Edward really likes you already, and he lives right next door. Heck, I've seen the bedroom windows. You could practically touch hands if you lean out enough! Plus, you share these stairs and the balcony, so I'm sure you'll see him out here sometimes. Rose and Emmett are here in town, and in a month, Jasper and I will be here full-time, too. I've only known you through Edward for a few days and for myself for a few hours, but I know we're gonna become good friends. Trust me, after a few days of knowing all of us, you'll be itching to really be alone!"

I giggled, which made her giggle, and soon, we were both laughing. "Thanks, Alice. I feel better now."

"Good! Now come upstairs so we can beat the boys at a video game before you have to go turn in the truck and we all have to get home."

I laughed and stood up, wiping the remainder of my tears from my cheeks before we walked upstairs to kick some serious male ass.


	11. Chapter 11

**Bella's POV**

After the girls kicked the guys' behinds at several games, they finally shooed us away so they could play in peace without their egos getting wounded any more than they already were.

Alice grabbed one laundry basket full of bedding and handed it to me before grabbing the other for herself. "Let's go to your bedroom and choose which sheets you want on, Bella," she said excitedly. "Rose, can you switch the last load with the curtains in it to the dryer? Angela, come on! We have to have your opinion, too."

I smiled, happy to see my new friends including my old friends so easily in all the activities. "I think I know which set I want on already. I _love_ all three sets Ang and I picked out the other day, though, so I keep changing my mind."

The others laughed.

"Bells, show them this one," Angela said as she pulled out the "smoke flower" comforter.

"Oh, yeah, I loved that one. The blues and purples are gorgeous together."

Alice cocked her head, studying the comforter and sheets that Angela had also pulled from the basket. "Yeah, I like that. That's a gorgeous shade of purple," she said, pointing to the outside of some of the flowers.

"It was a hard choice for me to narrow them down," I told them honestly. "They're all so pretty, so I got them all. Can someone help me make the bed with these and the others fold the rest so I can put them in the linen closet, please?"

"I'll help you make the bed," Rose said, taking the sheets from Angela.

"Thanks." I smiled, grabbing my side of the fitted sheet from her. "So Edward has told me a little about you guys, but not much. What do you both do?"

Alice said, "I'm a buyer for Macy's right now, but I'm also working on my own fashion line. That's what I wanna do. Jasper's almost finished with his Master's in history and education. When he finishes next month, we're moving down here, and he's gonna teach history at the high school."

"Wow, that's cool." I smiled, and Angela nodded in agreement. "Do you have any clothes already made or just drawings so far?"

"I have a few pieces I've sewn, but mostly just designs at this point. Once we've moved, I'll concentrate on that fully and will definitely sew more."

"What about you and Emmett, Rose?"

"We own Hot Bod's Auto downtown." She rolled her eyes. "Emmett wouldn't budge on the name. He said it could mean the car bodies to the customers, but everyone who knows us would know it meant the two of us."

Angela and I laughed so hard, we had a hard time doing what we were supposed to be doing.

"I don't know him well, of course, but from everything I've seen, that sounds like him!"

"Oh, don't worry. With Emmett, what you see is what you get. He's a dork, but he's my dork, and I wouldn't trade him for anything." She smiled, and it was easy to see the love she felt for him in her eyes.

"Edward told us a bit about you last night at dinner, Bella, but we'll have plenty of time to get to know you more. Angela, what do you and Ben do?" Alice asked.

"Right now, I'm an assistant librarian at the public library, and Ben works for a computer store. He installs software and hardware, finds and fixes system issues, and does some web design, as well. We're moving to Seattle because he got a promotion and they want him at the main office there. It's a great opportunity, so he really couldn't say no, even though it means leaving Bella." She frowned and looked worriedly at me.

I smiled. "In all the rush this week, I haven't even thought to ask... Are you planning on looking for a job at one of the libraries there in Seattle?"

Smiling, she nodded. "I think so. As you know, I really do love my job. I'm hoping I'll be able to find one there. If I can't, I might look at the schools and see if any of them are looking for a librarian. If all else fails, maybe I'll go back to school." She shrugged. "Who knows at this point. Hey, Bella, tell them about the book you're writing!"

"Oooh, you're writing a book? What kind?" Alice asked, grinning.

I blushed. "I'm not that far into it yet. It's gonna be a vampire romance, I think, combined with some mystery."

"That's cool," Rose said. "Mysteries are my favorite. Alice likes romance and supernatural books most."

"You guys'll have to stop by downstairs and see if there's anything that catches your eye. It's on the house for your help today," I said, smiling as we put the last of the pillows on the bed.

"Aww, thanks, Bella! Here, you put these away while I grab the curtains. We can ask the guys to hang the rods, and then we'll get the curtains hung up."

I took one stack of sheets from her, while Angela had an armful of a stack of comforters. I heard Rose and Alice head down the hall and stop at the dryer to get the curtains, and then Rose asked the guys if they would help with the rods since they were all taller than we were.

"Here, Ang," I said, walking out to the linen closet in the hall. "Put the cherry blossom one on the top shelf if you can reach, and then I'll put the matching sheets on it."

She stretched, but couldn't quite reach. "Looks like you need to buy a step stool," she said, laughing. "Hey, Edward, could you come help Bella, please?"

I shot her a glare, but she simply giggled.

Within seconds, Edward was at my side. "What's up?"

Angela handed him the comforters. "We can't reach. You help Bella, and I'll go in and help Alice and Rose control the guys. Thanks," she said before disappearing around the corner, winking at me behind Edward's back.

Edward smiled. "The place looks great, Bella. I love all the furniture you chose. Now, where do you want these?"

I instructed him the same way I had Angela and then handed him the correct sheet set to put with it. We stacked the violets set on top of that and then closed the door.

"Thank you for the help," I said, blushing. "I, uh, guess I need to get a step stool up here, too. I knew I'd need one down in the store, but hadn't thought about up here."

"No problem. Until you get one, I'm just a few steps away." He smiled and put his hand on my lower back, leading me gently back to the bedroom, where the rest of the group was now hanging the second set of curtains.

After they were hung, we all went into the living room.

Alice said, "Bella, are you staying here now or going back to Angela and Ben's house until they move?"

I looked at Ang. "Well, I still have a lot of stuff over there. I, uh, thought I'd stay there and take the week to pack it up and help them pack, if that's okay?"

She nodded. "Of course it's okay!"

I smiled with relief.

"Smart," said Alice. "Well, Jazz and I are going back to Seattle tomorrow, but we'll be back down next weekend, so if you guys need any help, please just let us know."

"That goes for us, too," Emmett said as Rose nodded. "Well, the help part, I mean. We aren't going to Seattle."

I grinned. "Thanks, everyone. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your help today." I saw Edward glance at his watch. "You should probably get back to your store, shouldn't you? I feel guilty that your assistant has had to spend so much time this week on her own!"

He smiled. "Yeah, I need to go. Don't worry, though. Sasha loves it when I leave her by herself. It's the only time she gets to play on the piano. If I'm there, I'm usually on it." He looked at his family. "You guys coming now, too?"

"Yep, we need to get home to check on the dogs, and then we're gonna take Alice and Jasper around house hunting. Bella, is it okay if we get your number from Edward later?"

I smiled. "That would be great, but only if I can get all of yours from him, too."

They all smiled and nodded as we walked back to the living room.

"Thank you guys for all your help today. It really meant a lot and made things go much faster and easier than it would have been otherwise."

Alice and Rose gave Angela and Ben hugs before coming up to me and hugging me tightly. "We'll talk to you again soon, Bella."

Jasper smiled at Angela and me then shook Ben's hand. Emmett wasn't nearly as shy and shocked me when he grabbed me in a big bear hug.

"Emmett...can't breathe," I gasped playfully.

He laughed and set me down. "It was good to meet Eddie's little friend. Don't be a stranger," he said, winking at me.

I laughed and looked at Edward, who was grinning and watching me.

Someone coughed, and then Angela said, "We'll go outside to get some fresh air and then come back inside in a few minutes, okay, Bells?"

I nodded my thanks and smiled at Angela as she ushered everyone but Edward out the door. After it closed behind them, I put my hands in my pockets and looked around shyly.

Edward came up to me and tilted my face up. "Thank you for being so nice to my family, Bella Swan."

I smiled. "It was easy. I liked them, Edward. A lot. I think Alice, Rose, and I are gonna become really good friends. The guys are fun, too...Eddie," I teased.

He growled, ruffling my hair, and then trailed his hand softly down my cheek. "Call me anytime, Bella, even if you just wanna talk. I'm a pretty good listener."

He leaned down, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss my lips. Instead, he brushed a soft kiss across my cheek before stepping back and quietly leaving the apartment.

Just a minute later, the door opened again, and Angela and Ben walked in, stopping short when they saw me standing there in a daze.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Angela's voice sounded concerned, and it snapped me out of my frozen state.

I nodded before collapsing on the sofa. "I'm good. Edward just surprised me, that's all." I grinned, unable to hide my glee.

"Oh? How?"

"He, uh, kissed my cheek when he said goodbye. Not that big a deal," I said, shrugging.

Angela let out a squeal and flopped down beside me.

Ben rolled his eyes and grinned before turning toward the kitchen. "Anyone want something to drink?"

We both said yes and then turned back to each other to chat.

"So, just on the cheek?" Angela prompted.

"Yes. It was very sweet," I said, defending him.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not criticizing him, Bells. I think that's great! See? I told you he liked you!"

Ben walked back in and handed us each a Coke. "Geez, Bella, even I could've told you that! Why else would he have shown up this morning and brought his family to help you move in?"

I shrugged. "Being neighborly?" I didn't want to get my hopes up. After my last experience with a guy in college, I didn't consider myself exactly a great judge of character in men.

"Nah, being neighborly would've just been to welcome you if he saw you out and about. The man offered to paint the trim around your door and window _and_ then painted the store name and stuff, taking time away from his own business to do it. Then without any of us asking, he showed up this morning with his family, helped you move in, and kissed you? He's got it bad, Bella. Just be careful, okay? He seems like a nice guy, and your dad seems to like the family, but..." Ben's voice trailed off, and I knew he was thinking about my experience with James.

"Thanks, Ben. I know. I will be." I paused. "So...what'd you guys think of him? Of his family?"

Angela laughed. "Alice is a lot like me, I think. It's good that I won't have to worry about you wearing sweats and ratty T-shirts all the time after we move. Once she's here, I'm sure you'll be playing plenty of Bella Barbie!"

I groaned at the thought.

"Rosalie was harder to pinpoint, but she seems okay, too. Very protective of the others, which is sweet. Her husband sure is huge! I knew of them through my parents, but they obviously didn't tell me that sort of stuff! He seems like a giant teddy bear, though. Jasper was a lot more quiet, but every time he looked at Alice, you could just see how much he loved her. Edward was very sweet, and every time you walked by, his eyes were on you. Not in an obsessive way or anything creepy like that. Just like he was interested in whatever you were doing."

Ben nodded. "The guys were a lot of fun to hang out with. I think you're gonna have some great friends here. I didn't feel excluded when you ladies were in the other room and we were out here playing video games. They made me feel comfortable and included, even though I'd just met them, really."

"That's good," I said, smiling. "I'm glad they all treated you well. That's important to me, ya know? Okay, so moving on...how about we head home for the day? I need to drop off the truck, so you guys can follow me. Then I say we rent some movies and just relax the rest of the day. Tomorrow is soon enough to start packing up the house," I said almost wistfully.

"Sounds good to me," Angela said, smiling sadly. "I'm definitely up for putting off packing. Movies sound perfect."

"How about we do snack night tonight for dinner? After pizza for lunch, I say we just make it a 'bad food day' all around and do chicken wings, taquitos, chips and dip...whatever else we can find that's bad for us but makes us happy. If you guys want, I can go to the store and get movies and food and then meet you at home after you drop off the truck."

"Perfect, Ben," I said. "You guys head downstairs. I'm gonna grab my wallet and keys and will meet you down there in a minute."

After they were gone, I made sure all the trash was thrown away and the lights were off. Taking one last look around my new apartment, I glanced out the living room window into Edward's. His curtains were closed, but I could see lights on and people moving around inside. I smiled and touched my cheek softly before grabbing the things I needed, locking the door behind me as I left the apartment.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I left Bella's apartment, my lips almost buzzing from kissing her cheek. I'd wanted to kiss her so badly, but at the last second, I'd chickened out and moved to brush them against her cheek. I wasn't sure how she'd have reacted had I done what I really wanted to do, so I'd played it safe. Once I got to my store, I asked Sasha how the day had gone.

"It's been good. It was busy this morning, but since lunch, it's been pretty dead. I finished the paperwork you started yesterday, too."

I looked at my watch. It was only an hour until I normally closed up shop on Saturday, so I made a spur-of-the-moment decision. "Thank you so much for coming in today. Take Monday and Tuesday off. Also, go ahead and head out now. I'm gonna close up early."

"Are you sure?" She looked excited about the days off and about getting off early, but also hesitant about leaving now.

"I'm positive. You've earned it, after all the time you've spent covering for me over the last week."

"Thanks, Edward! I'll see you Wednesday morning." She grabbed her purse from behind the counter and patted my shoulder as she went by. "By the way, I'm glad it went well with Bella today. Your family said they had a good time."

I smiled. "It did go well. We all had a great time, although I think I'll be feeling it tomorrow! There was a lot of furniture!"

She laughed before heading out the door, pausing to flip the sign around to Closed. I locked the door behind her and then turned off the store lights. Closing out the register, I put the money in the safe in the office and then ran up the stairs to my apartment. I was really curious about hearing everyone's reactions to Bella and her friends.

When I got into the apartment, Rose and Alice were sitting at the table talking, while the guys reclined on the couch, watching some show about when bears attack. I went to the kitchen, grabbed a Coke, and then sat down at the table with the girls. I heard the TV click off moments before Emmett and Jasper came in, grabbed their own drinks, and sat down with us.

"So..." I said, unable to hide my grin. "That was Bella."

"That was fun, Edward," Alice said happily. "I think we're gonna become great friends. She's very sweet."

I nodded. "I think so, too, Alice. Rose, what'd you think?"

She shrugged. "She was nice. Kind of quiet. Definitely your type."

Emmett and Jasper laughed when I blushed. Together, they sang, "Eddie's got a crush. Eddie's got a crush."

It was my turn to laugh when Alice and Rose both reached out and smacked them on the back of their heads.

"Don't tease your brother," Rose said to Emmett. "It's a good thing. Now Alice and I don't have to keep trying to set him up."

I heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! Those dates were getting worse and worse," I mumbled. Everyone laughed, and I decided it was time to change the subject. "I closed up early, so if you guys wanna go look at houses, I'm up for it."

"Oh, good. It'll be a lot more fun with all of us looking," Alice said happily.

We all grabbed our stuff and left the apartment. I saw that the U-Haul and all of the cars from next door were already gone. I smiled a bit sadly, thinking that hopefully it wouldn't be too long before I saw Bella again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sunday Morning  
Bella's POV**

The three of us took our time getting up on Sunday since we'd been up late watching movies and talking. Plus, if Angela and Ben were half as sore as I was, I doubted they were moving any faster than I currently was as I walked to the bathroom for a hot shower at almost noon.

Stepping under the spray, I smiled. Every ache and pain was worth it. My new place had looked beautiful when we left: great colors on the walls, full of beautiful, hand-picked furniture, and already a place I was looking forward to calling home. The only bad part was the fact that in just a few short days, Angela and Ben, friends who'd become more like the siblings I never had, were moving.

I finished showering quickly, wanting to get out there and inhale some caffeine and Ibuprofen to get my mind and muscles working again. As I toweled my hair dry, my stomach wasn't quiet in its reminder that it was time for food, as well.

There was a knock on the door, and then Angela quickly walked in after I unlocked the door for her. "Good morning, Miss Hungry Bella. I could hear the beast from out in the hall!" She grinned as I pretended to swat her with the towel I had in my hands.

"How long have you been up?" I asked, finishing drying off before moving to my room to get dressed in the capris and shirt I had out on the bed.

"Just long enough to shower, which is where Ben is right now. I thought I'd come chat with you about plans until he comes out."

I nodded. "Sounds good to me," I said, smiling. "Aside from my clothes, I don't have much left to pack—some CDs, DVDs, and video games, my bathroom stuff, and everything else in my room. That's pretty much it. I figured I'd just move the hanging clothes as is and all the folded stuff in laundry baskets, so I should only have two or three boxes of stuff, which means an hour or so at most. I'll leave the things I need for this week unpacked with a bag and box everything else up and stick it in my car and run it over later sometime. Other than that, I'm at your mercy." I got down on one knee, hands clasped in front of me and head bowed. "Please, Mistress, be gentle." Of course, the giggling ruined the effect I was going for, which made Ang laugh even harder.

"I suppose I can take it a _bit_ easier on you, slave, since I like you. But don't let it get back to the others, or I'll have a full-on riot on my hands, and you _do_ know how I hate the possibility of ruining my manicure!"

We collapsed on the bed in a fit of giggles. We both knew that it hadn't been _that_ funny, but there was going to be a lot of stupidly silly jokes this week, if for no other reason than keeping the tears at bay.

"Okay, seriously, what's on the schedule for today?" I asked, my giggles finally subsiding.

She thought for a minute. "Well, the company has rented us one of those Pod things, so we'll start boxing things up and moving them into that. It should be delivered after two o'clock today."

I interrupted with a question. "When, um, do you have to leave?"

She sighed. "They want Ben there early on Saturday morning for meetings and what not before he starts work on Monday, so we're leaving mid-afternoon on Friday. The Pod people—" she paused as we both laughed at that image "—will pick that up just before we leave and then drop it off in the private, key-carded, manned-gate parking garage for Ben's company until we find a house we wanna buy. Until then, they're putting us up at the Extended Stay Hotel near downtown, which is great quality, I've been told."

I grinned. "Already being treated like a prince and princess! Nice!"

She laughed and said, "Yes, I guess it does bode well for the new position, doesn't it? Anyway, back to the issues of packing. My first thought was to tackle the kitchen. I'd thought that after we ate breakfast, we could make sure all the dishes and cookware were clean and pack them up and then live off plastic silverware and paper cups, plates, and bowls for the week. But then I realized that we still have a lot of food in the freezer and fridge that we should try to cook and eat, so then I decided to save the kitchen for later in the week. Basically, I thought we'd do what you're planning: make sure all the laundry is clean, and pack all the clothes, bedding, linens, and what not, aside from what we need for this week. We'll also keep a few boxes of clothes with us at the hotel so we have plenty of things to wear while house hunting and stuff. So to make a long story short—"

"Too late!" I laughed when she poked me in the ribs.

"As I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted," she said sarcastically, "today we'll all work on clothes and stuff and then move into the living room. You and I can wrap pictures and breakables, while Ben starts packing up the movies, games, books, and things like that."

"Sounds good to me. Thinking back to the kitchen, have you guys thought about all the food in the cabinets and fridge that doesn't get eaten by the end of the week?"

"The refrigerated stuff will either go to you, if you want it, or will be trashed. Most of the stuff left will be condiments and things like that, so no great loss. The canned and boxed goods can go to you, or we can donate them to one of the shelters or someplace else in need."

"Oh! That's a great idea! I may take a couple of things that Sue didn't buy when she was here, but most of it can definitely be donated. The soup kitchen downtown would be a great place, don't you think?"

She nodded. "That was my first thought, too." We heard the pipes make noise as the shower in their bathroom shut off. "Let's go start breakfast so it's ready when Benji gets out."

I chuckled at her use of his hated nickname, much like Eddie was for Edward. Thinking of Edward had me smiling as I walked into the kitchen, and I quickly wiped it off my face so I wouldn't have to admit to Angela what had me grinning like a fool.

"Hey, can you slice some bananas and strawberries to go into the cereal for you and Ben, please? Thanks, Bells," she said as she got out the bowls, cups, and silverware we'd need.

A couple of minutes later, Ben came in, and the three of us sat down and ate breakfast while Ang and I told him what she and I had talked about.

"Sounds good. I'm off this whole week, so you guys don't have to do it all yourself," Ben added.

"Okay," I mumbled around a mouthful of Honey Bunches of Oats with sliced bananas. "On to a different topic. When's the wedding?"

"Girl time! I'm gonna go eat and watch TV in the living room while you guys talk," Ben said, grabbing his bowl and glass of OJ.

"Chicken!" Angela said, making us both laugh when Ben just nodded and grinned as he left the room. She turned back to me. "Honestly, I don't think either of us have thought of a date yet. I don't wanna wait a long time, but since I'll be in Seattle without you or my mom, all the planning will have to be done over the phone and the computer."

"Do you think you'll have it in Forks since your parents are there?"

She nodded. "With both sets of parents there, as well as the rest of Ben's family, it just makes sense. Dad will wanna officiate, I'm sure, but I'm thinking about trying to convince him to let the Associate Pastor do it so he can walk me down the aisle and just enjoy the day. That way he doesn't have to worry about performing the ceremony in tears."

We both laughed, knowing that as funny a picture as that made in our head, it was most likely exactly how it would go down.

"Well, let's see. You could always be a Christmas bride. I don't mean necessarily on Christmas Day, but around that time in December. If you want the weather warmer than that, you'll either have to really rush to get married pretty quickly or put it off almost a year."

"Yeah, that's true. I'm not sure I wanna get married in the middle of winter. You know how nasty Forks can get—all slushy and icky gray from dirty snow and stuff on the ground. If we weren't moving, I'd say we just rush to do it soon, but maybe it's best to try to plan for either May or June. Maybe even April. It might still be a little cool, but the flowers will be blooming, so it should be pretty." She smiled at that, as did I, since I knew how much she loved flowers. "That would give us anywhere from eight or nine months to a year to plan. A little longer than I wanted, but under the circumstances, probably the best I can hope for."

"Well, you know I'll do whatever you need me to do."

She grinned. "I just assumed you would know this, but I'd better ask to be sure... Would you be my Maid of Honor?"

I couldn't help it. I squealed with excitement. "Of course! Like you even have to ask! Is Ben gonna ask Chris to be his Best Man?"

She nodded. "I think so. I mean, he's his only brother, so it would make sense to me, but he might ask his dad instead. Who knows."

We finished eating and sat talking about other things that needed done before they moved.

Ben walked in a few minutes later. "Is it safe to come in? No rice or penguin suit talk?" He came farther into the room to wash his breakfast dishes when we laughed and nodded.

"So, Ben, how does next spring sound for the wedding?" Angela asked as he sat beside her at the table.

"Honestly, whatever you want is fine with me. You know my only stipulations: no pink, short reception so we can get to the honeymoon faster, and no Bella."

I reached over and pinched his thigh.

"Ow! Okay, okay! Geez, I'll wear pink!"

We all laughed as he rubbed his thigh.

"That's what you get, smartass," I said, grinning.

After a few more minutes of relaxing, we decided it was time to get to work. Ben opened the closet and pulled out a huge stack of new, broken-down boxes, three rolls of packing tape, and three thick, black, permanent markers.

"Here, Bella," he said, handing me five of the boxes, a roll of tape, and a marker. "This should be enough boxes for your stuff, but if not, just come grab more. I can always make a run to the store to get more later in the week if we need to." He looked back in the closet. "Of course, I got fifty, so I doubt we'll need more, but I guess we won't know until later."

"Thanks, Ben. I appreciate it. I could've just gone to the grocery store and gotten apple boxes and stuff, but these are much nicer."

"No problem. Now, someone put on some music and turn it up so we can all hear it while we pack!"

I was standing closest to the stereo, so I flipped it on, made sure it was our favorite rock station, and then waved with an elbow since my hands were full. "Have fun," I said as I headed to my room to start packing up my stuff.

Two hours later, Angela poked her head in. "How's it going?"

"Sadly, I'm pretty much finished. All my clothes and bathroom stuff are packed, aside from what I'll use until Friday. My books, movies, and the rest of my games are packed except for a couple of books I'm reading right now. So..." I shrugged. "Most of my stuff is already at the new place," I said, feeling another surge of pride and happiness at the thought of the bookstore and my new neighbor.

"Good! Ben's finishing up a few things in our room. I had him get all the pictures down from our room and the hall. He stacked them in the kitchen on the table so we can wrap them in newspaper before we box them up. Wanna come help me?"

"Sure! I was just waiting for you to be free, so I'm ready now."

We were in the middle of wrapping pictures when Ben called out that the Pod guys were here. Angela opened the curtain, and we watched them situate the big box off to the side of the yard. Ben signed a clipboard, took the papers the guy held out, and then the truck left as he walked back into the house.

He came into the kitchen and sat down to help wrap some of the pictures. We laughed and talked, mainly about what they were going to look for in a house and about the wedding, while we wrapped.

After the pictures were finished, we moved on to other packing until late in the evening, when we collapsed and ate pizzas from the freezer while we talked long into the night. Over dinner, Angela did admit to having been worried about not being able to give the library a two-week notice when she quit the past Friday, but she said that they had understood and had told her not to worry about it.

Ben gave up around two in the morning, but Ang and I stayed up another hour and a half, looking through some wedding magazines she'd picked up earlier in the day at the store. Since Angela had quit the job at the library, she wouldn't have to get up for work the next morning, and I didn't have much left to do before opening the store, aside from running a few ads in the local paper, so we weren't too concerned with the late hour.

"G'night," I mumbled, smothering my yawn behind my hand.

Angela laughed. "Good night, sweetie," she said, bumping my hip with hers as we stepped close to my door.

I closed my door behind me, then turned off my light, pulled off everything but my T-shirt and panties, and collapsed into bed, falling asleep almost before my eyes could even close.


	13. Chapter 13

**Bella's POV**

The beginning of the week passed much like Sunday had. We took a break on Tuesday to drive my things over, minus the clothes and toiletries I was using before leaving for the final time. Aside from that and trips to the store for more packing materials, all day Monday and Tuesday had been the same.

Early afternoon on Wednesday, we were taking a break for lunch when the doorbell rang. Ben answered the door and came back holding a vase filled with white calla lilies and yellow roses, along with a small envelope with my name and a larger envelope with Angela's and Ben's names on it.

"What in the world?" I wondered aloud.

Ben handed me the flowers and small envelope and gave the larger one to Angela.

"Read yours first, Bella," Angela said, grinning.

I gave the flowers one last good sniff and then set the vase on the table and opened the envelope. My eyes filled with tears when I slipped the card out and read it silently to myself.

_Bella,_

_I know this is probably a very hard week for you, and I wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you._

_The yellow rose means friendship. Know that even after Angela and Ben move, you aren't losing them forever. Also, I hope you agree that you've gained five new friends in my family and myself. We'll all be here whenever you need us._

_The white calla lily means beauty. The first day I saw you outside the shop, that was my first thought. "She's beautiful!" Just ask Emmett. He still hasn't quit teasing me about being unable to say anything other than that._

_Anyway, I know Friday after they leave will be especially hard, so if you want some company for dinner, a glass of wine, or simply a shoulder to cry on, you simply need to call, and I'll come right over. I'd hop through the window if I could, but I'll probably stick to the doors for now._

_You have my number. Use it, please. I want to help if I can._

– _Edward_

Angela wrapped her arms around me after brushing away my tears. "Bella, wanna share, or is it too private?" she asked quietly.

I gave her the card, and she and Ben read it quickly.

Angela got misty-eyed and cleared her throat. "Well, it seems like we're leaving you in good hands," she said, smiling. "Now, what in the world did he say to us?" She grabbed the larger envelope, which contained a card and a smaller envelope.

Pulling out the card, she read aloud the good luck and best wishes on the front before opening it to find a short note in Edward's handwriting.

"_Angela and Ben,_

_I __know the two of you have been friends with Bella for a long time, so as great an opportunity as the move is, I'm sure it's quite hard, as well. Please know that my family and I will watch out for her and not only keep her safe, but make her feel loved and cared for since you can't be there every day to do it yourself._

_I also know how expensive it can be when you're buying a new house, especially in the Seattle area. Please take this gift as a thank you from my family and me for being such true and loyal friends to Bella. As I'm sure you're well aware, she is a very important and wonderful woman. Enjoy it and use it to help furnish your new home. That way, when Bella visits—as I'm sure she'll be doing as often as she can—you all can be happy and comfortable._

_Bella has my number. Feel free to call anytime if there's ever anything I can do for either of you. Good luck and best wishes on the move, the new jobs, and the wedding._

– _Edward Cullen (along with Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Jasper)"_

Angela pulled out the small envelope and handed it to Ben, who opened it with shaky fingers. Out fell a gift card to Home Depot, and on the front was the amount of five hundred dollars. He stood there, jaw nearly to the floor, while Angela and I danced around, screaming and laughing.

After we'd gotten ourselves under control, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Edward, my fingers tracing the delicate petals on the flowers. Unfortunately, his phone went to voice mail, so I was betting he was busy with customers or teaching a piano lesson. I decided to leave him a message.

"Hi, Edward. It's Bella. We got the gifts. Thank you so much. The flowers are lovely, and Ben's still in shock, I believe." I chuckled as Ben shoved a note under my nose. "He said to tell you thank you very much for the thought and the well wishes, but there's no way they can accept the gift card because it's just too much. Anyway, give me a call sometime. Bye," I said, feeling stupid as I hung up the phone.

We went back to packing until my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered, not bothering to look at the Caller ID.

"Hey, Bella. It's Edward."

"Oh! Hi," I said, glad he couldn't see the blush that immediately spread across my cheeks. "Thank you again for the flowers. They're really beautiful."

"My pleasure. I'm glad you liked them," he answered, sounding almost shy. "Could I speak to Ben for a minute, please?"

I raised an eyebrow and said, "Sure. Hold on just a second, and I'll take him the phone."

"Thanks, Bella."

I walked into the kitchen, where Ben was pulling something out of the freezer to make for dinner. Holding the phone out to him, I mouthed that it was Edward, and when he took it and gave me a questioning look, I shrugged and went back into the living room.

I tried not to listen in to the phone conversation, just hearing a few words every little bit, and was surprised when Ben walked in and handed me back the phone.

"He wanted to talk to you again." He smiled and then walked back into the kitchen, leaving me to have a bit of privacy.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella. Before I hung up, I just wanted to re-iterate that I'll be there for you if you need me on Friday. Alice and Jasper will be in town, so she and Rose would love to come over if you need a softer shoulder. Just let us know, okay?"

I smiled softly, pleased that he was so concerned. "Thanks, Edward. That really does mean a lot. I think I'll probably just wanna be alone, though. I'll definitely let you know if that changes. See you soon, I'm sure. I'll be at my place Friday after they leave, so I'll stop in and say hello."

"Great! See you then. Good night, Bella."

"Good night," I said softly before closing the phone and going back to packing.

Over dinner, I asked Ben what he and Edward had talked about earlier.

He shook his head and laughed. "He's a stubborn guy, that's for sure. He said there was no way I was giving the gift card back. If I did, it was going in the trash, so we might as well use it. I tried to convince him that it was too much, but he said between the five of them, it really hadn't been that bad. I finally gave up and just thanked him several times."

Angela bounced in her chair excitedly, already planning in her head what they would use it for. "Oh! Bella, I forgot to mention earlier. Ben and I are gonna make a day trip down to Forks tomorrow to say goodbye to our families. Everything is pretty much packed, and all that's left to do is the kitchen stuff, which we'll finish tonight, and then load the last few boxes and the furniture into the Pod on Friday morning. You're more than welcome to come down with us and see your dad and Sue if you don't wanna stay here."

I thought about that for a minute. "Actually, I think I'll use tomorrow to move the rest of my boxes over, call and get cable and Internet hooked up, and things like that. I'm also gonna go down to the newspaper and get an ad put in the paper for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, announcing the store re-opening on Monday, I think. So thanks for the offer, but I'm gonna have plenty to keep me busy!"

"Okay. We plan on leaving around nine in the morning, in case you change your mind," she said, smiling.

The rest of the evening was spent cleaning up the dinner mess and then wrapping all the dishes and other kitchen breakables, boxing them up, and splitting the food items up into things I wanted, things to donate, and things to trash. When we finished, it was close to one in the morning, but aside from a few odds and ends, everything was packed and ready to move into the Pod on Friday.

We said good night and all quickly fell into bed. Exhausted, physically and emotionally, I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thursday  
Bella's POV**

According to the note they'd left in the kitchen for me, I'd woken up shortly after Angela and Ben left for Forks. I was really happy to see the addition from Ben at the end that said he'd loaded the boxes I'd labeled to take to my apartment into my car for me. Since I didn't have a ton to do today, I wasn't in a big rush. A long, hot shower was up first, just to relax, and then a breakfast of eggs and fruit before I started making up an ad for the paper.

I was planning on splurging and getting a half-page ad for Friday through Sunday, and after some thought, I decided to keep it in for Monday, as well, since that was officially the grand re-opening. In addition to the store name, I included the beautiful line about dreams and imaginations that Edward had painted on the window, the address, and all the other important information. I also added a "coupon" of sorts, saying that if they brought in the ad, then they would get one book free with their purchase. Finally, I found some cute artwork online and printed it out in black and white to have the newspaper include in the ad.

While in the shower, I'd had a neat idea for the store, so after getting the ad stuff ready, I made a shopping list of the things I would need. I left Ang a note, even though I expected to be back way before they were, grabbed all my stuff, and left the house, planning to stop at the newspaper before heading to Wal-Mart.

The stop at the paper didn't take as long as I expected. The young woman that helped me was short and quite perky, reminding me a lot of Edward's sister, Alice.

"This'll look great, Ms. Swan! I love the picture of the books you chose to go along with it. I'll definitely be coming in on Monday to check out your stuff." She lowered her voice to a near whisper and leaned in, confiding, "I hope you have a good selection of Harlequin romances. I'm a closet freak about them!"

I chuckled. "Please, call me Bella, and yes, I believe I do have a decent selection. I love them myself, as well. Of course, I read just about anything."

She smiled. "I knew I liked you, Bella! We trashy romance readers have to stick together. You wouldn't believe the flack I used to get when I told people I liked those types of books!"

Nodding, I agreed with her. "Believe me, I would get the same types of comments. I just always told them that I believed there was a place and time for every sort of book, and when I felt the need to have an easy read and be able to dream of the perfect man and perfect life, those were just the thing. Not everything has to be Shakespeare, right?"

"Exactly," she said. She'd been working on the computer as we talked, so when she turned it around so I could see the mock-up of the ad, I was more than pleasantly surprised. "Is this what you were thinking?"

I double checked all the information against what I had written down, pleased to note that everything was correct. "It's perfect! Thank you so much. When you come in Monday, you get two of the romance books on the house," I said, smiling.

She squealed quietly and bounced in her seat. "I'll be there!"

I smiled as I pulled out my credit card so I could pay and then told her I would see her Monday.

"Thanks again, Bella. I'll see you then."

I left the newspaper office and headed to Wal-Mart to get all the supplies I needed before going over to the store. Thirty minutes later, I pulled up, grabbed my purse and keys before getting out of the car, and then headed into Masen Music.

Edward was behind the counter, reading a book, and his assistant was dusting some of the shelves. "Hi, Bella!" The beautiful timbre of his voice surprised me, just as it did every time we talked.

"Hi," I answered, suddenly feeling shy. "Good morning, Sasha," I called back to her.

"Morning, Bella! How are you today?"

Shaking myself from my thoughts, I replied, "I'm well, thank you. You?"

"I'm great today, thanks." She smiled before turning back to the shelf she was cleaning.

"So what brings you here, Bella?" Edward asked. "Not that I mind in the least, of course."

I smiled what I hoped was a charming smile. "I was wondering if I could buy you a cup of coffee in exchange for helping me carry up a few boxes of clothes and books to the apartment."

He grinned and looked at Sasha. "I suppose I could be bribed that way, as long as Sasha doesn't mind keeping an eye on things for me."

"Bring me back a muffin and cup of tea, and we'll call it even," she said without even turning around.

"Deal," Edward and I agreed simultaneously, laughing.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he told her as he ushered me to the door. "I have my cell."

"Thanks for the help," I told him as we walked toward my car. "I could've carried them, but it would've taken quite a few more trips." I didn't tell him that my other, and possibly the most important, reason for asking him was that I just really wanted to see him.

He smiled. "It's not a problem, I promise. Is this the last of your things?"

Nodding, I answered, "Aside from the things I left unpacked to bring over when we all leave for good tomorrow, yes." The thought of tomorrow made tears fill my eyes suddenly, and I quickly wiped them away, not wanting depressing thoughts to take over the only few minutes I had with Edward.

We reached my car, and I opened the trunk first for Edward before reaching into the back seat and pulling out the bags of supplies I'd gotten at Wal-Mart.

"Is this everything?" he asked.

"Yep," I answered before turning around to see Edward holding the five boxes precariously in his arms. Laughing, I took the top box from him before closing the car door and then the trunk with an elbow. "I didn't mean you had to get all five boxes yourself!"

He shrugged as easily as he could with his arms loaded down with heavy boxes of books and clothes. "Not a problem." He chuckled. "Of course, when I topple head first down the stairs because I'm off balance and can't see where I'm going, _then_ it might be an issue!"

I grinned and walked with him to the door, unlocking it with the hand holding the bags from the store. "Well, as soon as I set this stuff down in here, I can take another box. That should help a little."

I flipped on the light, locked the door behind Edward, and then moved to unlock the office door. Dropping the bags in the office, I grabbed another box from Edward before heading up the stairs to the apartment. We were quiet until we got into the apartment.

"The bottom two boxes are books that you can just set down here by the bookshelf with the others. The top box is clothes, so I'll take it and run these into the bedroom. Then we can go get coffee."

He set the boxes down, and instead of handing me the third box, he took the two from my arms into his. "There's no way I'm making you carry them in there when I'm right here," he insisted when I tried to argue that I could take them.

His tone brooked no arguments, so I simply smiled and nodded my thanks.

He was back within seconds.

"Ready for coffee now?" I asked.

"Oh, Bella, you have no idea. I was born ready for coffee. If I could have it continuously fed to me through an IV drip, I would." I laughed when he said, "In fact, when I was fourteen, I actually asked my dad if he would do that for me. I thought, with him being a doctor, it would be something he could do easily." He shook his head at the silly memory. "That was the day my parents began to really watch my caffeine intake, limiting me to one cup a day until I graduated high school. Of course, they never said anything, but I'm sure they knew that I was stopping at the coffee shop on my way to school every morning for another cup, or two, and again on the way home."

We'd been walking as we talked and were leaving the store as I answered. "Wow, that is a serious coffee addiction! I thought I was bad..." I grinned when he playfully shoved my shoulder.

There was an easy silence until we got to the coffee shop on the corner.

Walking to the counter, we waited until the young man working the register looked up at us and smiled. "Hi, how can I help you?"

I thought for a second and then ordered a chocolate chip muffin and a medium cup of coffee. Edward ordered a banana nut muffin and a large coffee, setting more than enough money on the counter before I could even get my wallet out of my purse.

He smiled as he picked up the cups. "Grab the muffins, please, Bella."

"Edward!" I hissed quietly. "This was supposed to be my treat!"

He laughed for a moment, his tone flirty when he replied, "Your company's all the payment I need." Sobering, he looked at me for a second before speaking again. "Please, Bella. Don't worry about it. Just sit and talk to me and enjoy yourself for a few minutes."

I opened my mouth to argue, but decided not to fuss about it. "Thank you, then."

He grinned triumphantly. "You're welcome. Choose a table."

I led us to a booth near the back, not bothering to question my motives for wanting the privacy. I slid into one side, expecting Edward to sit down across from me. Instead, I was surprised when he sat down beside me, nudging me over a bit more with one hip.

He suddenly looked nervous and asked, "Is this okay? I can move over if—"

I cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Don't move," I answered quietly. "You're perfect where you are."

Blushing, I took my finger away and busied myself with pouring sweetener and creamer packets into my coffee. Sneaking a look at Edward, I almost giggled when I saw him sitting there in a stupor with a huge grin on his face.

He shook himself out of it and then grabbed the napkin with his muffin on it. The next few minutes were quiet as we concentrated on the food and drinks in front of us. I was relieved that, once again, just like on the way here, the quiet was a comfortable one. It didn't feel forced, and I didn't feel like I needed to talk just to break the silence.

After we finished our muffins, he finally spoke. "Not to bring down the mood, but how are you doing? I mean...about tomorrow."

I was quiet for a few seconds, unsure of how to answer. As if he could feel my inner conflict, Edward slipped his hand into mine for support. I smiled gratefully before answering. "I'm doing okay. Better than I anticipated, actually. I won't lie; I'm sure I'll be a wreck tomorrow night, but for now, I'm doing okay."

Edward nodded, squeezing my hand lightly. "I know it won't be easy, but you're strong, and remember, Bella..." He waited to continue until I turned my head to look at him. "You aren't alone."

Smiling, I nodded, relaxing back against the seat. After a moment, the rest of my plans for the day popped into my head. "Oh! I need to call the cable company and see about getting someone out to set up my cable and Internet. Everything else, utilities-wise, was on already, so they're all in my name now, but I don't have cable or Internet yet."

I'd programmed in the company's number to my cell phone so I could call when I got the chance. I found the number and dialed, sitting there with the phone in one hand and Edward's fingers still entwined with mine on the other.

"Thank you for calling Wave Broadband. May I help you?" The woman's voice was pleasant as she answered the other end of the line.

"Yes, hi. I just moved into a new apartment and need to get cable Internet and TV hooked up."

Edward's thumb was idly rubbing circles on my skin, nearly making me forget what I had been calling about.

"Sure, I can help you with that. Do you have an account with us already?"

My voice hitched as I explained the circumstances, once again remembering that Angela would be leaving tomorrow.

Edward squeezed my hand, and I smiled gratefully as I continued chatting with the lady at Wave.

When she mentioned when she could have someone out, it took me a moment to realize she was serious.

"Really? You can have someone out later today? That's fantastic!"

Edward raised his eyebrow, looking surprised. I knew why. Even here in little Port Angeles, the wait for things like that could take forever.

I got the appointment scheduled and then hung up the phone, reaching for my coffee before turning a bit toward Edward.

"I was lucky," I said happily. "They had two cancellations today, so they'll be able to come and install Internet for the store, as well as Internet and TV upstairs in the apartment."

He smiled, squeezing my hand again, looking happy for me. "That's great. I had to wait weeks for mine last year."

I laughed, nodding. Angela and Ben had had to wait almost two weeks for theirs, too.

"You should do that more often."

With a raised eyebrow, I silently prompted him for more information.

"You light up the room when you smile and laugh," he told me, sounding earnest, not like he was feeding me a line.

I felt my face flame and quickly started talking about something different to distract him. We spent a few more minutes just sitting there, holding hands and talking until Edward decided he needed to get back to the store. We walked up to the counter, where he ordered the muffin and tea for Sasha. I carried the sack with the muffin, he carried the cup of tea, and we held hands as we quietly walked back down the block to the stores.

"Thanks again for the help," I said when we were standing outside my door. "And the snack."

He grinned, dropped my hand, and brushed his fingers against my cheek. "My pleasure. Talk to you soon."

I smiled as I handed him the muffin and then watched as he made his way back to his store before unlocking my door and heading inside.

I turned the lights on and unlocked the office door, sitting down at the desk. Pulling out all the stuff from the store bags, I began working on my project. About thirty minutes later, I looked proudly at the board in front of me.

I'd made a sign to go behind the counter, explaining the prices of the books, the amount of money I would give for trade-ins, and other information customers would need. It looked professional, but still pretty and homemade, exactly how I'd imagined it when I thought up the idea.

I'd just finished it when there was a knock at the door. I walked over and saw that it was the Wave Broadband guy. He was tall, with dark skin—the color somewhere between my coffee and Edward's—and a shaved head. He was a really good-looking guy...who was looking at me curiously when I hadn't opened the door for him, I realized.

"Sorry!" I said, laughing as I let him in. "It's been a long week, getting moved in and everything. I'm a bit spacey at the moment."

He smiled. "It's okay. I've moved several times, so I know what it's like. I'm Derek. Bella Swan, right?" At my nod, he said, "Okay, just wanted to make sure I had the right paperwork with me. It says here you need Internet down here and Internet and TV upstairs, correct?"

"That's right. Where do you wanna start?"

"Down here's fine."

I led him through to the office, cleared off the desk, and set the computer back in the middle of it.

"Great. If I need you, I'll let you know, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay, thanks. I'll be sitting out there reading. Just lemme know when you're ready to work upstairs." I smiled and then made my way back to the front of the store, locking the door before grabbing a book from the shelf that I hadn't read yet and settling down in one of the two chairs by the window.

A few minutes later, Derek called me into the office and had me sit down and check the connection, showing me where he'd hooked up everything and giving me the information I might need at some point. When we finished with that, I led him upstairs, unloaded my laptop, and asked that the Internet equipment be hooked up on my TV stand, along with my wireless router.

I set the computer down on the coffee table and then went to get something to drink while he worked. "Derek, would you like something to drink? I've got soda, some juice, and water."

"A glass of ice water would be great, thank you," he called back from the living room.

I pulled out a Coke for myself and fixed him a glass of ice water, taking it to him in the living room before going back to the kitchen to sit at the table and read while I waited. Thirty minutes later, he called me in.

We spent fifteen minutes going over the information for the TV, since the Internet was essentially the same information as it had been downstairs.

"Here's all your paperwork, including the remote control and cable box instructions. If you have any problems, you can give us a call, but it really is a pretty simple setup, so you shouldn't have any issues." He smiled and handed me his now-empty glass. "Thanks for the water."

"You're welcome. Let me put this in the kitchen, and then I'll walk you back downstairs so I can let you out."

When we got downstairs, I unlocked the door for him. "Thanks, Derek. I really appreciate you making it out here today."

"No problem. Remember, give us a call if you have any questions or problems," he said, smiling. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, handing me a business card. "My number's on there. Call me sometime if you're interested in going out to dinner." He smiled again and then walked out to his truck without waiting for a response.

I stood there quietly for a minute, unsure of what to think. I was certainly flattered by his obvious interest, and he was a good-looking guy, but I could still feel Edward's hand in mine and knew what I had to do. I went into the office and threw the card in the trash.

Looking at the clock, I realized that it was probably time to head home. Grabbing my keys and purse, I turned off the lights and locked the doors, waving in the direction of Edward's store before hopping in the car and driving away.

Angela and Ben arrived home shortly after I did, and we spent over an hour making and eating dinner while they told me all about their visit back in Forks. After dinner, we relaxed and let our stomachs settle before moving furniture from the kitchen, living, and bedrooms into the Pod out front. We used the dolly that had come with the Pod to move out the washer and dryer and all the packed boxes.

By the time we were finished, it was late, we were all sore and exhausted, and the house was virtually empty. All that was left were the mattresses, the suitcases and boxes that would stay with everyone instead of being packed away, a few lamps, and the food items to be taken with me or donated.

We agreed on a time to wake up in the morning and then parted company, each of us tired enough that we knew it wouldn't take long for us to fall asleep. I set the alarm on my cell phone, stripped to my T-shirt and panties, and crawled into bed.

~*~CIBD~*~

Morning came much too early for me. When my alarm went off, I climbed into the shower, waking myself up as much as possible without a cup of coffee. I dressed in clean clothes before packing up the last of my things and gathering the sheets from the bed and the towel I'd used to put with the other dirty clothes that Angela and Ben would take with them.

I left a note on the counter, carried everything of mine to the car, and then made a trip to the donut shop a few blocks from the house, where I got enough donuts for the three of us, as well as huge cups of coffee. I walked in and found Ang sitting on the floor in the living room, notebook in hand, marking things off a list.

"Ben!" I called out. "Coffee and breakfast are here!"

I laughed as he came slowly out of the bedroom, dragging a mattress that was wrapped in plastic.

"Quit laughing and help me with this thing," he muttered. "Ang, get the doors, please."

We loaded both mattresses before collapsing on the floor of the living room with our coffee and donuts. "So, what's left?" I asked, trying to sound chipper.

Angela grabbed her notebook. "We got the rest of the stuff loaded while you were gone, aside from the two mattresses, which are in there now. So aside from the boxes of food to donate, all we have to do is clean a bit. I wanna vacuum, clean the kitchen, including the fridge and oven, and the bathrooms. I think everything else is good enough."

"Okay, well, I'll vacuum the house and clean my bathroom, and you guys can get the kitchen and your bathroom."

Ben asked, "Are you sure? That'd mean you were doing more than your fair share."

I nodded. "You shouldn't have to clean my bathroom, and I'm not the one that has to make the drive to Seattle later today."

"Thanks, Bella," Angela said with a smile. "We'll take you up on that offer, then."

We finished eating and got to work cleaning the house. Since I kept my bathroom fairly clean, it really didn't take long to make it perfect. Vacuuming took a bit longer, but by the time I finished, Angela was finished with her bathroom and was helping Ben finish the kitchen. I flopped down on the floor and chatted with them as they worked.

Once the cleaning was done and everything loaded into the cars and Pod, Ben called the Pod people to come pick it up. We sat there on the floor, tears pouring down Angela's and my cheeks as the timing finally hit us. In a few minutes, they would be on their way to Seattle, and I'd be on my way to my new apartment alone.

An hour later, the Pod was gone, and the three of us were standing outside by the cars.

"You guys be careful driving up there, and call me once you get there, okay?" I sniffled, fighting back tears.

Angela had stopped fighting them and was bawling as she threw herself into my arms. "I'll miss you!"

"I know, Ang. I'll miss you like crazy, too. It's not like we won't talk and won't ever get to see each other, though. Now, stop crying, or you'll make Ben start, and you know how hard it is to get him to stop," I teased.

My plan worked, and she laughed, wiping her eyes. "Thanks, Bells. I love you!"

I motioned for Ben to join the hug and wrapped my arms around them both. "I love you both, too. I don't know what I would've done without you for the last couple of years especially."

"There was never any choice, Bella," Ben said firmly. "You're family. Always."

I gave them each a hug and kiss, got them into their cars with a promise to drive safely and call when they got to the hotel in Seattle, and then waved as they drove away. Then I got in my car and numbly drove to my new apartment.

I spent the next three hours curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Angela finally called to say they'd gotten there and gotten checked in.

"Good! Let's plan to talk Monday night so Ben can tell me about his first day in the new position and I can tell you all about the grand re-opening," I said, relieved that they were there safely.

"Okay, we'll call you then. Love you, Bells," Angela said softly.

"Love you, too. Bye," I whispered before hanging up.

I got up and poured myself a glass of wine, bringing the bottle into the living room with me.

~*~CIBD~*~

Around mid-afternoon, I fell asleep, thanks to a combination of stress and the half bottle of wine I'd drunk. When I woke up, it was dark outside. I ran to the bathroom and threw up, the emotions of the day combined with the alcohol on my empty stomach taking a toll on my body.

I cleaned up, washed my mouth out as well as I could, and then stumbled back to the living room. Curling up on the couch, I wrapped myself in the blanket and picked up the phone.

The phone rang twice, and when it was picked up, I said the only thing I could get out coherently. "Edward? I could really use that shoulder now."


	15. Chapter 15

**Edward's POV**

"Bella?" She sounded terrible, and my heart broke for her. "I'll be right over," I told her.

When she mumbled an okay, I hung up the phone.

I threw on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, not bothering with underwear, socks, or shoes. I'd been naked and ready for bed when she called, and it wasn't like I was going very far—simply walking the few feet to her place next door.

By the time I got to her door, she was there, opening it before I had a chance to knock. I stepped inside, locked the door behind me, and then turned back to look at the woman standing in front of me. She looked miserable.

I got her to sit down on the couch before asking her, "Do you want something to eat or drink? I bet you haven't eaten today, have you?"

"I had donuts this morning," she huffed. "I don't know if I feel like much. Do you wanna watch a movie? I have some popcorn. I could go for some popcorn and a Coke."

I smiled. "Sure, a movie would be great. You get it set up, and I'll find and make the popcorn. Do you like butter or salt on yours?"

"Yes," she answered firmly, making us both laugh. "Do you need any help?"

I grabbed a Coke from the fridge and took it to her. "Nope. Sit and relax. You can sit here or come sit at the table and talk, but I'm perfectly capable of making popcorn."

"Okay." She smiled sadly. "Thanks, Edward. I just really didn't feel like being alone right now."

"My pleasure." I returned her smile and reached down to pat her shoulder, squeezing gently.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

I realized I hadn't really brushed my teeth earlier, so I stood up quickly, telling Edward I'd be right back. I ran into the bedroom and opened my suitcase, found my toothbrush and cinnamon toothpaste, and then brushed quickly. I really didn't want to eat popcorn or be close to Edward with nasty breath.

When I made my way back to the living room, I found the box with my movies in it and picked out _National Treasure_, which was one of my favorite movies from the last five or six years. Plus, there wasn't much in it that would make me sad, so...

"Edward, did you find everything you needed?"

"I did, yes. It'll be ready in a couple of minutes. Just sit back and relax, and I'll bring it in when it's ready."

I sat there drinking my Coke and queued up the movie so it was ready to go. A couple of minutes later, Edward came in with a huge bowl of popcorn in one hand and two cans of Coke in the other. "What are we watching?"

"One of my favorites." I told him the name, expecting him to roll his eyes, but he just grinned.

"Nic Cage is one of my favorite actors, and I love the history stuff in this movie. Great choice."

_Chalk another point up for Edward,_ I thought, giggling to myself. _He's got good taste in movies._

"Oh! Sit down and get comfortable while I turn out the lights. Can't watch a movie with all the lights on! It's a rule, ya know," I said, grinning when he laughed.

As soon as the kitchen and living room lights were off, minus the small light over the stove I'd left on, I made my way back to the couch. Edward pulled up the blanket and patted the seat next to him. I smiled and curled up beside him. He arranged us both under the blanket and set the popcorn on his leg that was closest to me so we could both reach it easily. Grabbing the remote, I started the movie.

"Mmmm," I mumbled around a mouthful of popcorn. "Perfect amount of butter and salt."

For the next thirty minutes, we were quiet as we sat and watched the movie, eating the popcorn. Occasionally, our fingers would brush against one another when we reached into the bowl, and every time, I felt a small current between us. I didn't know if he felt it, too, but I certainly wasn't going to ask.

When we finished the popcorn, Edward leaned over and whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver. "Want more? I can go make it."

I shook my head no, so he set the bowl on the table and then handed me a paper towel he'd brought in with him. I finished wiping the butter off my fingers and tossed the wadded up paper towel into the popcorn bowl with Edward's. I pulled the blanket up and covered my arms, and the next thing I knew, I felt Edward's hand reach over and take hold of mine. We sat watching the movie much like we'd been sitting in the coffee shop the day before, with his thumb tracing circles lightly on my skin.

At a particularly funny part in the movie, I laughed out loud. I heard Edward gasp softly and turned to look at him. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing's wrong. You just look so beautiful sitting there, the moonlight barely hitting your face, and when you laughed, it took my breath away." He said that quietly, almost as if he was trying to keep it to himself.

I used my free hand to turn the movie down a couple of notches before setting the remote beside me on the couch. Then I reached up and slowly stroked his cheek with my fingers. "You're the beautiful one," I whispered softly. "I'm plain compared to you."

His eyes went dark, and his free hand came up, slid behind my back, and pulled me closer. Slowly, oh-so-slowly, he lowered his head until his lips hovered above mine. When he spoke, I nearly passed out at the sensations overloading my system. "Absurd. You clearly don't see yourself like I see you, Isabella Swan." Then, before I could blink, his lips covered mine in a gentle kiss.

We kissed like that for what could have been hours. It wasn't rushed or harsh, just slow and gentle—almost reverent. Both of us used our hands to slowly touch all the visible skin on one another as we kissed. I ran my hands lightly up and down his arms, stroking his fingers softly with mine. He moved his hands up and cupped my face, his thumbs brushing softly against my cheeks.

When he slowly brushed his tongue across my lips, seeking entrance, I opened my mouth for him and felt a jolt when our tongues began to dance together. Moving my hands up, one cupped the back of his neck while the other tangled in his hair, my nails scratching his scalp gently. He almost purred into my mouth at that, so I continued while I brought my other hand back around to find one of his. I moved my hand so that our fingers came together, and we held hands with our fingers entwined again.

Every few minutes, one of us would make a soft noise of appreciation, but our lips never parted. Even when we needed to breathe, we barely pulled apart, just breathing in the essence of each other before our lips came slowly together once more.

We kissed and touched until the blue screen shined brightly from the TV, indicating we'd missed the rest of the movie. We finally, reluctantly, pulled apart, just enough to rest our foreheads against one another's. My hand moved from his hair to his chest, resting above his racing heart. His free hand was still cupping my face, his thumb now brushing softly across my tingling lips.

"I should go," he whispered.

I nodded. I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, I would beg him to stay, and I didn't want our first time to be on a night that I'd spent so much of the day...grieving, for lack of a better word. Plus, as much as I wanted him, I didn't want to jump into bed with him. I'd never been that type of girl, and if Edward wanted someone like that, he wasn't the right guy for me. Thank goodness that didn't seem to be the case.

We stood up as one, our hands still clasped between us as I led him to the door.

"Thank you for coming over," I whispered, not wanting to break whatever magical spell we somehow seemed to be under at the moment.

"Thank you for asking for me when you needed someone." He wrapped his arms around me. "Will you be okay tonight? I could stay on the couch if you don't wanna be alone."

"I'll be okay now. Thank you for the offer," I said sincerely. "I'll probably go right to sleep."

He nodded and then leaned down to kiss me softly again. After we parted, he asked, "Would you like to go out tomorrow night? Dinner?"

I smiled. "I'd love that. Call me tomorrow?"

"I will," he said softly before kissing me once more. "I'd better go, or I'll stand here all night kissing you."

"Yes, you should, or I'd stand here all night and let you."

We both smiled, and then he kissed my cheek softly and walked out. I poked my head out the door until I saw him safely inside and then locked my door before I all but floated back to the couch.


	16. Chapter 16

**Saturday Morning  
Alice's POV**

I woke up early and came downstairs to find Rose sitting in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee. I poured and doctored a cup of my own and then sat down beside her.

"Morning," she mumbled.

"Morning," I chirped.

She grumbled, making me laugh. Everyone always complained that I was way too perky in the mornings, but I never let it get to me.

"I wonder if Edward got a call from Bella last night after he left here. I had a thought when I woke up. Why don't we surprise her with a girls' day out? Ya know, go shopping, get manis and pedis, that type of thing. You know she's probably bummed that Angela and Ben moved yesterday. She could probably use some girl time."

Rose nodded. "Good idea. You call Edward and see if he saw her last night and then get Bella's number from him while I get ready."

"Sounds good to me," I answered as she got up to put her cup in the sink and go shower away the morning grumps.

I picked up my cell phone from the table and dialed Edward's number, knowing I'd most likely wake him up.

The phone was picked up, and I heard a crash and then cursing before Edward finally said, "Sorry! I dropped the phone. What's going on, Alice? Why are you calling so early?"

Laughing, I said, "Well, good morning to you, too, sunshine!"

"Alice," he grumbled.

"Okay, okay. I'm actually calling for a couple of reasons. First, did you hear from Bella last night?"

He sighed softly. "I did, yeah. She called and asked if I could come over and keep her company. I went over and made some popcorn, and we watched a movie before I went home."

Something in his voice made me think there was more to it. "Oh really? Just watched a movie, hmm?"

"I don't kiss and tell, Alice," he said, coughing once.

"Oooh, kissing, hmm? That's great, Edward!" I grinned as he growled. "So when are you taking her out?"

He laughed. "Tonight, actually. I asked her if she'd like to go to dinner. I thought I'd take her for Italian at Bella Italia."

I squealed. "That's perfect! Rose and I are gonna go surprise her with a day out with the girls. We're gonna take her shopping, get manis and pedis, and maybe get our hair done. This gives us the perfect excuse for buying her something new to wear!"

"Don't drag her around if she doesn't feel like going anywhere, Alice, please. She had it pretty rough yesterday and felt really bad last night." He sounded really concerned, which I thought was very sweet.

"Don't worry, Edward, we'll make sure she's happy and has a good time, I promise. Bye!" I hung up without waiting for his response.

Thirty minutes later, when Rose finally walked back into the kitchen, I looked at my watch and realized it was already close to ten o'clock.

She sounded a lot more awake when she asked, "Did you talk to Edward?"

I bounced in my chair. "Yes, and it's perfect! He went over to her apartment last night to watch a movie. Apparently, there was kissing, and he asked her out to dinner tonight."

"Excellent! That gives us the perfect excuse for a shopping trip and day of pampering."

"As if we _need_ an excuse," I said, chuckling. "But yes, that's what I told him, too. Ready to go?"

She nodded. "I'm ready." She grabbed her purse, pawing through it before looking around on the counter and grabbing her phone and keys. "Emmy, we're going. I'll be back later," she shouted.

Jasper came walking into kitchen slowly, bleary-eyed. "Geez, Rose. You're loud enough to wake the dead!"

I laughed and kissed his cheek. "We're going now. Love you, Jazzy."

He kissed me back, his hands rubbing up and down my back softly. Nuzzling my neck, he whispered, "Me, too, Ali."

I smiled, grabbed Rose's arm, and we headed out to the garage to get in her BMW. As she pulled out of the garage, I asked, "Okay, so, shopping for clothes, especially for something for her to wear tonight, and then to the spa. I need a manicure and wanna get my toes done, too. What about you?"

"Same here. I think I want my hair done, too, though. We should try to convince Bella to get hers done for the date tonight, don't you think?"

I nodded. "Absolutely. If she doesn't want them to do it, maybe she'll let us fix it for her before the date," I said, grinning.

I reached over and turned on the radio, letting it blast out as we drove over to Bella's place. Once there, we parked and turned off the car before quietly climbing the stairs to her apartment door. Edward must've been watching for us, because he stuck his head out his door.

"Remember, ladies, don't push her into doing anything she doesn't wanna do. Please."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Dad."

He glared.

"Seriously, Ed, we aren't gonna force her into anything. She'll have fun, I promise. Now, scoot! Today is just for us girls. You'll have her all to yourself tonight."

He grinned. "Fine. Tell her I said hello and I'll call her later like I promised."

"I'll tell her."

We waited until his door was shut before knocking loudly on Bella's door.

After several minutes, she peeked out the window before opening the door. "Hey," she said with a smile. "What are you guys doing here?"

Rose and I looked at each other. "Your idea. You can tell her," Rose said.

I chuckled. "We decided you deserved a day with the girls. Edward told us that he's taking you out tonight, so that deserves a new outfit, right? First date and everything. So how about it? A little bit of shopping and some time at the spa? Rose and I wanna get our nails—both fingers and toes—done, and Rose is thinking about getting her hair done."

Bella looked pensive, biting her bottom lip for a minute, and then glanced toward the window before nodding. "Okay," she agreed, smiling brightly. "I guess that sounds okay. I need to shower before we go, though."

"That's okay. We can wait," I told her. "You go ahead. We'll watch some TV or something."

Smiling, she said, "I'll hurry. Thanks, you guys. This is really sweet of you."

"It'll be fun for all of us," Rose insisted. "Besides, we grab any chance to go shopping." She winked, nudging my shoulder with her own.

Bella laughed nervously. "I'm not a huge shopping fan. Especially for clothes. I'd much rather be in my comfortable jeans and sweats."

I narrowed my eyes playfully. "Go on and get in the shower. We have a lot to do before your date tonight, missy!"

She playfully saluted and turned around, rushing down the hall to the bathroom.

As soon as she shut the door, I told Rose, "Jeans and sweats?" I shook my head, grinning. "Maybe we can help her update her wardrobe a little today."

Rose smiled. "Maybe. If not, well...Edward likes her, and she's an adult. So we'll deal with it, right?"

Sighing, I huffed, teasing her, and nodded, falling down onto the couch. "Not everyone wants to be a fashionista, I know. I won't push. Promise."

She winked and sat beside me, reaching for the remote to find something to watch while we waited.


	17. Chapter 17

**Saturday Afternoon  
Edward's POV**

I hung up the phone after talking to Bella, even more excited for our date tonight than I'd been before. I decided to close up early since I had a few things to take care of before our date, so I flipped the sign over to Closed, locked the door, and then made my way up to the apartment.

Having an idea of what I wanted, I sat down at the computer and began to research. A few minutes later, I found exactly what I was looking for, so I called the florist to make sure they had what I wanted.

"Cherry Hill Florists. How may I help you?" It sounded like the same woman I'd ordered the last flowers from, which was good. She'd been a big help.

"Yes, hello. My name's Edward Cullen. I ordered some flowers from you a few days ago." I didn't expect her to remember me, but I'm sure she'd like knowing I was a repeat customer.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Cullen! The..." She paused for a second, making a humming sound. "Oh! The white calla lilies and yellow roses, right?"

Laughing, I answered, "Yes, exactly. They were a hit, by the way. Thank you for the suggestions."

"You're most certainly welcome. What can I help you with today?"

"Well, I did some research on my own this time. Do you happen to have yellow daffodils and red tulips?" I crossed my fingers.

She was quiet for a minute, and I could hear some doors sliding open and closed before she finally answered. "I had to check and make sure, but I do. Absolutely beautiful flowers, those daffodils. After your last order, I take it with this order that things went well with the young lady who received the delivery?"

I grinned, even though she couldn't see me. "Yes, they did, thank you. For today, if you could have those in a bouquet—more daffodils than tulips—with a little bit of the filler stuff and put it all in a pretty vase, would they be ready by five thirty for me to come pick them up? You close at six, right?" I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to pick them up and get to Bella's door by six o'clock.

"Not a problem. My assistant, Kate, is here today, so I'll leave her up front and go make the arrangement myself."

"Thank you so much," I told her. "I'll be there then."

Hanging up the phone, I smiled. I hoped that Bella would be happy with them.

I opened the drawer of my desk and pulled out a set of the personalized stationery that my mother had insisted on getting me for Christmas this past year. I hadn't used it once except for writing the thank you letter to them for all their gifts, but it was perfect for what I wanted today. Grabbing a pen, I began writing a note to go along with the flowers.

As soon as I finished and had added it to the envelope, writing Bella's name on the front, I decided to go ahead and get ready for the date. Putting the note with my jacket and keys, I went to the bedroom, stripped naked, and jumped in the shower.

While soaping up my body, I let my well-lubricated hand pay special attention to my cock. It seemed like ever since kissing Bella the night before, I'd been half hard. When I thought about it, I realized she was probably naked right now, getting a massage. Just the thought of her soft body nude was enough to bring me to full hard-on status.

I adjusted the spray a bit and then sank down onto the little bench in the shower. I spread my legs and let the water gently hit my upper thighs, misting up onto my balls. The feeling was amazing, especially coupled with the firm grip I had and the now almost-constant movement of my fist up and down my shaft.

I poured a bit more of the Bvlgari body wash I used into my other hand, and after resuming my stroking, my other hand went to my balls, gently squeezing and rolling them around in my palm. _Fuck..._ I'd give anything for this to be Bella's hands on me. I knew we were nowhere close to being ready for that, but it didn't stop me from closing my eyes and imagining.

Moaning loudly, I thought of Bella down on her knees between my thighs, her tiny fingers wrapped around my better-than-average-size cock. She was stroking it at the base, her mouth sucking me in as far as she could fit me until I hit the back of her throat. My fist was slamming up and down furiously by now, just thinking about her peeking up at me from under her long lashes, those big, brown doe eyes looking innocently alluring and sexy as she sucked me into oblivion.

When I thought of her gently scraping her teeth on my cock while pressing a finger at the sensitive spot behind my balls, I came with a roar. Cum shot everywhere: the wall in front of me, on my chest, and a few drops even landed in my hair. I kept squeezing and stroking, gradually slowing until it became too sensitive to the touch. I dropped my head back against the wall, adjusted the spray until it was aimed at my chest, and just sat there until I'd caught my breath back.

As soon as I felt like I could stand, I finished my shower and got out, wrapping a towel around my waist. I'd just pulled on my boxers and khakis when Alice came barging in from the living room.

"Geez, Ali! Could've called out or something. I just got out of the shower."

She rolled her eyes. "Not like I haven't seen it before, Edward. Besides, I heard the shower turn off and waited long enough for you to get something on." Pointing a finger to her lips in a show for me to be quiet, she dialed and then put her phone up to her ear. "All clear," she said before closing her phone.

"What was that about?"

I was clearly confused, because she giggled at my expression.

"Just making sure Rose could get Bella inside without you seeing her before your date tonight," she said smugly.

I made a break for the door, but she was faster and blocked my way. "C'mon, Alice. Why can't I look?"

"Because I said so," she answered in her sing-song voice.

"Fine," I grumbled, heading to the bathroom to smear on deodorant before going back to the bed to grab the shirt I'd laid out on the bed.

"Oh, nice choice." Alice came over after I had tucked my shirt in, taking it upon herself to unbutton the top two buttons of the dark red, long-sleeved dress shirt. "Okay, now roll up your sleeves a few times, and it'll be perfect. You are taking a jacket, right?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Yes, Mother."

Apparently, the sarcasm flowed right past her, because she smoothed out one more wrinkle and then stood on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. "Have fun tonight. Mom and Dad are gonna love Bella, by the way. Rose and I already do."

Before I could answer, she was gone, leaving me standing there with my mouth open and wild thoughts racing through my mind. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and then went to the living room to grab my watch and wallet. I looked at the time and realized I didn't need to leave for another twenty minutes, so I had plenty of time to wrestle with my hair.

Twenty minutes later, I gave up, just running my fingers through it again before picking up my keys, jacket, and the note for Bella. I went out through the store so Bella wouldn't see me leave and locked the door behind me. The flower shop was only a few miles from the store. I had to fight my lead foot, figuring a ticket really wouldn't start off the night well.

I found the florist easily. After locking the car, I walked inside to see a woman, easily in her late sixties, with a kind and expressive face. I knew immediately that she was Margaret, the woman I'd spoken with several times now.

"Mr. Cullen?" she asked politely.

I shook her hand. "Please, call me Edward. Thank you for doing this on such short notice."

She smiled and patted my hand in a very grandmotherly way. "It was no problem at all, Edward. I'm glad things went well enough that you came back for more. I'm assuming from the handsome look you have and the fact that you're picking these up yourself that you have a date with the lucky Bella?"

Laughing, I replied, "I do, indeed."

We stood there talking for a few minutes about my flower choices, and then Margaret went to the cooler and pulled out the bouquet. She'd arranged the flowers in a deep green vase that set off the red and yellow of the flowers perfectly.

"Will this vase work?" she asked. "I have others, but I thought this went well with the flowers."

I smiled gratefully. "It's beautiful. I was just thinking that the vase was perfect with them. I'm sure she'll love them. Thank you so much." I pulled out my credit card, paid, and then looked at my watch. "Oh, I do need to run. Thanks again! If all goes well, I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot more of you," I told her.

Her face lit up. "You remind me of my Hank when we first began dating, nearly fifty years ago. I hope it works out as well for you as it has for us," she said, sounding utterly sincere.

"Thank you, Margaret. Have a good night."

"You, too, Edward. See you again soon, I hope!"

I unlocked the door and debated on how best to handle the flowers. I had a couple of blankets in the trunk in case of emergency, so I pulled them out and set the vase on the passenger seat. After putting the blankets around the base, the flowers were fairly secure. I would use one hand to keep them still when I needed to, but just driving slowly, they should be fine.

When I pulled up to the apartments, it was just a couple of minutes before six—just enough time to stuff the blankets back in the trunk, smooth out any wrinkles on my clothes, and grab the flowers before knocking on her door promptly at six o'clock.

Just before I knocked, I set the envelope in the bouquet without crushing any of the beautiful flowers. Bella opened the door, and I was stunned. She'd been beautiful before, of course, but tonight, she looked like a vision. Her dress was some sort of sheer blue mixed with black lace. It was sleeveless and fell to her knees, allowing her creamy skin to show to perfection, and the cut of the dress was entirely flattering. I had to fight to keep my eyes from staring at the way it fit her chest.

"Umm, hi, Edward," she said shyly.

I shook my head, realizing I'd been standing there staring for who knew how long. "I'm sorry, Bella. You just...you look stunning. I love that color on you. Oh! You cut your hair."

I must've sounded as shocked as I felt, because her fingers were suddenly brushing at her hair, and a blush rose from her chest to her cheeks. With my free hand, I touched her cheek softly and then ran my hand lightly over her new, almost shoulder-length hair. "It's beautiful, Bella, really. It suits you. I can see your beautiful face and stunning eyes so clearly now." I smiled to let her know I was being sincere.

I heard her exhale and knew she'd been nervous. "Are, um, those for me?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, of course," I answered, laughing nervously. "Sorry, I'm, umm, a bit nervous."

This time, it was Bella who cupped my face with her palm and leaned in to kiss me softly once. "Don't be nervous. It's just me! The flowers are beautiful. Thank you. Come in while I put them on the counter and grab my purse."

She led me to the kitchen and put the flowers in the center of the kitchen table. She pulled out the envelope, and I quickly put a hand on hers to stop her.

"If you don't mind, please wait until you get home to read the card."

I must have blushed, because she smiled and brushed her hand across my cheek softly before putting the envelope down on the table and nodding. "Sure. If that's what you want, that's fine with me."

She grabbed the black clutch from the table and held her hand out.

"Ready to go?" she asked sweetly.

I nodded. "Definitely. I've never been to this restaurant before, but Rose assured me it was delicious. I hope you like Italian food," I said cautiously.

She licked her lips. "I love Italian food, and I'll try just about anything, just for future reference."

Smiling, she pulled her keys out and locked her door behind us. I took her hand in mine, and we carefully made our way down to my car. I opened her door and waited until she was all the way in before closing it and hurrying around to my side.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything upstairs, but you look very nice tonight," she said. "That color red looks great on you."

I waited until I'd pulled out into traffic before taking her hand once again. "Thank you," I replied. "Alice approved, too. She barged in while I was half dressed earlier when you all got back from your day out." I shook my head, thinking of my sister. "I'm just glad she wasn't two minutes earlier. That might've been a tad more awkward."

She laughed, her thumb tracing circles on my hand, both making it hard to concentrate on driving. "So, where are we eating?"

"A little place called Bella Italia. I thought the name was fitting, although that wasn't why I chose the place," I said, grinning at the irony of the name.

"Oh! I've heard of it, but haven't been there. It sounds wonderful."

She blushed when I said truthfully, "Well, with a name like that, how can it be anything but?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Bella's POV**

We talked and held hands the rest of the way to the restaurant. When we pulled up, I was surprised to see a small, but cute and quaint little place. I guess I'd been expecting something much bigger and more intimidating, but this looked almost sweet and definitely romantic.

Edward rushed around the car at lightning speed and had my door open before I could even get my seat belt undone. He offered me a hand and helped me out of the car before closing my door behind me and locking the car with a beep.

When he offered me his arm, I took it gladly, and with a small smile to myself, I said, "Such a gentleman!"

"My mom and dad raised us with the belief that manners were simply something you did without thinking—especially in this day and age, when chivalry is all but dead. Besides, when you like someone, you should wanna treat them well, and you definitely deserve to be treated like a princess."

That final sentence brought the cutest blush to his face, and I quickly leaned over to kiss his cheek softly. "Thank you, Edward. That's very sweet. Your parents should be very proud."

By that time, we were inside the building and waiting at the hostess desk. Edward moved his arm, and I frowned inwardly at the loss until I felt his hand slip into mine. He had his jacket hanging over his other arm. When I looked over at him, he smiled that crooked smile I really loved seeing.

The hostess walked up and gave us a smile. "Welcome to Bella Italia. Just the two of you tonight?"

"Yes," Edward said, smiling. "A quiet booth in the back if there's one available, please."

She checked the chart on the stand in front of her before nodding. "There sure is. Follow me, please."

She led us back to a booth in an empty corner of the restaurant. The place was far from being empty, but it was still quiet, relaxing, and romantic. They'd done a wonderful job with the décor: the lights were low, and there were lots of candles and soft drapes on the walls to make a romantic atmosphere. I had a feeling that during the day, the lights were raised and candles were out to make it a more family-friendly, less-romantic atmosphere, which was good, too.

At Edward's polite motion, I slid into the booth first. He draped his jacket across the bench on the other side before sitting down beside me. I smiled and set my hand lightly on his thigh to let him know I was happy he was beside me. The hostess handed us our menus and then left us in peace.

"What do you feel like, Bella?" Edward's voice asked quietly.

I had to hold myself back from saying, _"You."_

Instead, I answered, "Angela was always raving about their mushroom ravioli, so I think I want that and a Coke. No wine for me; I'd like to remember tonight."

Smirking, he nodded. "Maybe we can go back to my place, or yours, for wine later? I'll stick to Coke for now, too. Do you like shellfish?"

"Mmm, yes, I certainly do."

"Excellent," he replied. "Trust me to order our starter, then?"

I smiled and nodded my acceptance. We chatted about his day at work until the waiter came over several minutes later.

"Hello. My name's Tommy, and I'll be your server. Can I start you out with something to drink and maybe an appetizer?" He smiled and looked at us questioningly.

Edward took the lead and answered, "Yes, we'll have two Cokes and the steamed mussels and clams for a starter. For the main course, I'll have the Tuscan Steak with red potatoes, and my beautiful date wants the mushroom ravioli."

I smiled and squeezed his thigh gently as he handed the waiter our menus.

"Very good choices. Your drinks will be out in just a minute, and the starter will be out shortly. Enjoy," Tommy said, smiling before he walked away.

Edward reached down and laced his fingers with mine before speaking. "So, little Isabella Swan. I still can't get over you being Chief Swan's daughter. I guess from everything I'd heard, I assumed you were still a little girl. That's why it shocked me so much last weekend!" He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

I laughed, too. "Well, to my dad's credit, I think I'll always be his little girl." Grinning, I said, "Besides, it's actually a good thing you didn't spend enough time in his presence to learn otherwise. I'd never date an ex-con."

My smile faltered when I thought to myself, _No, I just date them before they get convicted for something._ James still haunted my thoughts sometimes, and I knew I'd been lucky to get away from him before he became the serial rapist he'd turned out to be.

I shook off the cloud of my past in time to hear Edward stop laughing at my statement and look at me seriously.

"Are you okay? You suddenly tensed up and frowned."

"I'm okay," I told him. "Just remembering something unpleasant. It's in the past and will stay there, so..." I smiled and squeezed his hand gently to reassure him.

Once Tommy dropped off our drinks, I picked mine up and took a sip before speaking again. "So tell me more about you and your family. The girls mentioned that you'd gone to the University of Washington, but didn't say much else."

He smiled and nodded, taking a sip of his own Coke before answering. "I did, yes. I majored in music, with a specialty in piano, and minored in Italian."

"Ohh, really? Say something in Italian, please! I don't understand any of it, but I love hearing it. It's such a beautiful language."

"_La lingua non è bella quanto voi. La vostra bellezza interna rende la vostra bellezza esterna pallida nel confronto."_

I might've moaned a little bit, I wasn't sure. All I was sure about was that he sounded almost as beautiful as he looked when he said whatever it was he'd said.

"What'd you say?" I asked. "That was excellent!"

He smiled, blushing. "I'll never tell," he said, shaking his head.

I put on my biggest pleading look, complete with puppy dog eyes.

Groaning playfully, he said, "Not the puppy dog eyes! Anything but that!" I giggled, and he sighed before murmuring, "The language is not as beautiful as you. Your inner beauty makes your outer beauty pale in comparison."

I felt my cheeks heat, and I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. "That's beautiful," I finally told him, feeling the weight of the moment pressing in on me.

He smiled then. "It's true." When I blushed again, he chuckled and must've decided to lighten things up because he said, "So tell me about college for you."

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I shrugged. "I attended Seattle University and majored in English Lit with a minor in Creative Writing. Boring, I know."

He brought our joined hands up and kissed my fingers softly before shaking his head. "Nothing about you is boring, Bella." When I blushed, he grinned and set our hands back on his thigh before continuing. "So you like to write, hmm? Are you working on anything now?"

"Slowly, yes. I tend to be a perfectionist, so unfortunately, it takes me forever to get a page, let alone a chapter, finished," I told him honestly.

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of our starter. Edward squeezed my hand once and then released it before moving the dish my way. "Ladies first," he said with a smile.

I spooned some of the mussels and clams onto my small plate and waited until he'd gotten some for himself before taking a bite. "Mmm, those are wonderful," I gushed. "Perfectly done, aren't they?"

Edward nodded, his mouth too full of food to speak. We were quiet while we ate for a couple of minutes, and then he asked, "You were interested in hearing more about my family, right? Did Rose tell you about the name of the garage she and Emmett own?"

I laughed. "Yeah, she mentioned it when we were working at putting the sheets on the bed and stuff. I think it's hysterical."

"Don't ever tell Emmett that! You'll only encourage him," he said, grinning. "Anyway, they met at college, same school that I was at, where he was a football player and she was a cheerleader. They met their freshman year, got married their junior year, and are really perfect for one another. She puts up with his crap, but doesn't let him get away with stuff he shouldn't, and he treats her like the princess she sometimes thinks she is." He smiled affectionately, so I could tell he loved his brother and sister-in-law, even if he did like teasing them.

"They do sound perfect for one another. What about Alice and Jasper? I know what they do, but how'd they meet?"

"Alice and I are twins—fraternal, obviously. She majored in fashion design at The Art Institute of Seattle. Jazz roomed with Emmett in college, which is how he met Alice. They've been together as long as Rose and Emmett."

I started to speak, but waited as Tommy brought us refills and took away the now-empty bowl and our plates. When he was gone, I said, "Alice is so hyper and intense. Jasper seemed really mellow last weekend. It's no wonder they're perfect for each other; they balance out one another, just like Rose and Emmett. That's very cool."

"Yes, they definitely balance out one another. Alice keeps him from being quiet and introverted all the time, and he can calm her faster than I can blink sometimes." He shook his head, smiling, and again, I could see his love for his family. It was just one more thing to add to the growing list of things I liked about Edward Cullen.

"What about your parents?" I asked, curious. "From some of the things you and Alice have said, I gather that you're adopted. Emmett, too?" I frowned, shaking my head. "Sorry, if that's too personal, just forget I asked."

He smiled. "No, it's not too personal. Yes, we're adopted, and yes, we're all biological siblings."

"How old were you?"

"Our parents adopted us when Emmett was three and Alice and I were two." He nodded when my eyes widened.

"That's really young," I said, frowning again.

"It is. Our birth parents were both declared unfit. Drugs were involved, and neither could hold down a job." He frowned and fiddled with his napkin until I reached across the table and laid my hand over his in support. Smiling, he took a deep breath before continuing. "A lady in a neighboring apartment called the cops when we'd been crying for hours and she didn't get an answer when she knocked on the door. Our father had been over at some friend's house, getting high, and our mother had passed out in the bedroom. She'd been so out of it that she hadn't roused for our cries or the neighbor's repeated attempts at knocking on the door."

"God, Edward," I breathed, feeling tears well up at the thought of those poor babies. "I can't even imagine." I squeezed his hand gently. "You don't have to tell me more if you don't want to."

He shook his head, smiling softly. "It's okay. We were all young enough that we don't remember any of it. Our earliest memories are really of Carlisle and Esme—our parents." Shrugging, he said, "We were taken to the hospital for malnutrition and to make sure we were otherwise healthy, and that's where Dad saw us for the first time. He likes to say that fate put us in his ER that night, that we all had a guardian angel who was just waiting for the right moment to bring us to him."

"That's beautiful, Edward. You, Emmett, and Alice were really lucky, weren't you?" I felt stupid, thinking that what I'd just said was kind of dumb, considering their birth parents, but when Edward beamed and nodded, I knew I hadn't offended him.

"We were—we are," he amended. "Our parents truly saved our lives and gave us more love and support than any child could ever ask for." He squeezed my hand once more and smiled. "So, what about your family? I mean, I know you told me about your mom and Phil, but I'd love to hear more about them both."

"That's another heavy conversation," I said quietly. "How about we save that for after dinner?"

His hand took hold of mine and squeezed gently. "Sure. Anytime you wanna talk about it—or never, if you'd prefer—is okay with me. I'll be here," he assured me.

Our dinners arrived shortly after, and for a few minutes, we were too busy eating to talk about anything at all. Edward made me try a bite of his steak, so I insisted he try a bite of my ravioli, and by the time our plates were empty, we'd pretty much shared both meals equally.

"Do you wanna get some dessert to go and take it back to my place? I have some wine we could drink with it, and I can tell you about my family."

"I'd love that," Edward said, smiling softly at me.

He waved Tommy over and asked to see the dessert menu. We had a hard time choosing since everything looked so good. In the end, we finally decided on one cheesecake and one chocolate mousse, realizing that we would end up sharing them anyway.

Edward paid the bill for dinner, and we got the bag with our desserts. A few minutes later, we pulled up outside our apartments. As we walked up the stairs holding hands, I felt excited at how the date had gone so far. Reluctantly, I released his hand to unlock the door.

"There are several bottles of wine in the kitchen. Would you mind choosing one and pouring us a couple of glasses while I change into something a little less dressy? I don't particularly feel like having this conversation all dressed up," I said quietly.

Edward set the bag and his coat down on the sofa and then came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. "Bella, we don't have to talk about it if you aren't comfortable. Honestly."

I turned to face him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and rested my head on his shoulder. "I know. Thank you. I do wanna talk about it. It's just a sad story and one I'd rather tell while wearing something extremely comfortable." I looked up at him and giggled. "Alice might not approve of it, but she's not here."

He laughed and then kissed my forehead. "Okay, make yourself fairly comfortable, and I'll get the wine ready."

"Thank you," I said, smiling before turning and walking to my bedroom.

I quickly changed into leggings and a cute, oversized T-shirt and put socks on my feet so they wouldn't get cold. When I got back to the living room, Edward had the wine on the coffee table, along with both desserts and two spoons.

"Still gorgeous," he said, grinning.

I blushed, causing him to laugh and pull me gently down beside him on the couch. I realized he'd untucked his shirt and taken off his shoes to get more comfortable.

"I think you need your eyes checked, but thank you for the compliment, nonetheless." I smiled when he just shook his head. "Okay, let's eat, and then I'll talk."

We made quick work of both desserts, feeding ourselves and each other. When we were finished, I took the trash and spoons into the kitchen while Edward poured us both a second glass of wine. I grabbed the box of tissues on my way back in, knowing I'd probably need them during our talk.

I settled in beside Edward on the couch, his arm around my shoulders and his other hand crossed over to hold my hand in his on his thigh. Sighing, I said, "Well, you've met my dad, so you know that part of my family. He and my mom divorced about twenty years ago, when I was only a few years old. My mom was single for a few years, and then she met Phil, a semi-professional baseball player. They fell in love almost instantly and were married about six months later. He was great. They were kind of like your family. Completely different, but perfect for one another." My voice broke, and I took a deep breath when Edward squeezed my hand gently.

I leaned up and took a big drink of wine before settling back against him. I'd told him already about my mom and Phil, but going into more detail was hard. "Almost four years ago, about a year after I started college, they were driving home from a game and were hit by a drunk driver. They were both killed instantly, as was the driver of the other vehicle."

I broke down then, not used to talking about this with anyone anymore. Edward leaned up and grabbed some tissues, handing them to me before pulling me onto his lap. I cried for a few minutes, and eventually, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back calmed me enough my sobs turned to occasional sniffles.

"If you don't wanna continue, Bella, it's okay," he said quietly.

I shook my head. "Thanks, but I'm okay." I smiled weakly before continuing. "It was a couple of weeks later when I got a phone call from their lawyer. Phil had come from money, and along with that, he and my mom had been able to save quite a bit during their marriage. After paying off their few debts and donating some to charities, the rest of it was left to me. Neither of them had any other family, so I got almost all of it. It was a large enough sum that I was able to buy the store and all the furnishings outright, and I'm still able to comfortably live off the interest. When I got it, I donated a lot to charities myself before investing the rest. Until the store, I hadn't spent a dime of it. Angela was the one that finally talked me into it. She told me that my mom and Phil had known that owning my own bookstore and becoming a published author was my dream. By not using what they'd left to me to fulfill that dream, I wouldn't be honoring their memories. I realized she was right, and when I found this place, it was like...I dunno. It felt like it was meant to be."

My tears hadn't stopped as I talked, and Edward was caressing my back with one hand and wiping away my tears with the other. "They would've been proud of the woman you've become," Edward said quietly. "You sound like you loved them both very much, and if they were smart, I would bet they loved you just as much. Thank you for telling me about them. Do you have any pictures?"

I smiled. "Help me unpack boxes tomorrow, and I'll show you when I find them," I teased, feeling immensely better than I had a few minutes before.

He laughed. "It's a deal. How about I bring lunch over, and we unpack after we eat?"

I nodded and was stilled when Edward suddenly pressed his lips to mine softly.

"Sorry, I've been waiting to do that all night."

I hushed him by kissing him in return. "Never be sorry for wanting to kiss me," I said breathlessly after we parted.

"As much as I would love to continue that, I'm gonna be a gentleman and say good night. Go out with me again tomorrow night? The coffee shop down the block has poetry readings on Sunday nights. I've been a few times, and they're pretty interesting. We can get some dinner together while we listen to the readings."

"That sounds good."

He smiled, and I knew it sounded as good to him as it did to me.

I climbed off his lap, and he held my hand in one of his as he gathered his things in the other. Walking me to the door, I opened it for him with my free hand.

"Thank you for going out to dinner with me and for trusting me enough to tell me about your mom and Phil," he said quietly.

"Thank you for taking me to dinner and for listening." I leaned up and gave him one more kiss, and then he let go of my hand and turned to go. "Good night, Edward."

"Good night, Bella. Sweet dreams tonight."

I watched until he'd unlocked his door, and then I closed mine and locked it behind me.

I cleaned up the coffee table, leaving my glass of wine, the bottle, and the box of tissues, but I threw away the used ones and put Edward's glass in the sink. As I headed back into the living room, the flowers Edward had brought me at the beginning of the date caught my eye, and I remembered the note. I grabbed the envelope from the table and took it into the living room with me. Sitting down on the couch, I folded my legs up under me, grabbed my glass, and opened the envelope.

_Bella,_

_Just like last time, these flowers have a special meaning as well. First, d__affodils mean new beginnings, __while tulips have always meant romance__. Our relationship is definitely a new beginnin__g, and I felt the tulips were a beautiful indicator of how I hope it grows._

_The colors of the flowers are also significant. __Red and yellow flowers symbolize joy, happiness, and excitement. The yellow expresses the current friendship, while the red expresses the desire to move things toward a romantic relationship._

_I hope the thought of this makes you smile as much as it does me._

_Edward_

My smile reached from ear to ear by the time I finished reading Edward's handwritten note. I decided this was the perfect way to end my day, so I finished my glass of wine and put the rest away. I smelled the flowers once more and then walked down the hall to my bedroom, turning off lights as I went.

Pulling off my leggings and socks, I set my alarm, climbed into bed, and grabbed my phone before turning off the light.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I unlocked my door and stepped inside, turning just in time to see Bella close her door. I smiled to myself when I realized that she must've watched me until I'd made it into my apartment.

As I undressed from our date, my heart broke when I thought about Bella's story. No wonder she seemed so tough sometimes. She had to be, going through what she had, especially to come out as strong as she was.

I got undressed, climbed into bed, and picked up the latest book I'd been reading. A few minutes later, my cell phone beeped. I grabbed it off my nightstand and flipped it open to find a text from Bella.

_Thank you again for the wonderful dinner and even better company. The meanings for the flowers were perfect. See you tomorrow._

I grinned so hard that my face hurt. I quickly typed my reply.

_I'm glad you had as much fun as I did! See you tomorrow._

I decided that there was no way I was gonna get interested in the book now. I put it away, closed my eyes, and fell asleep thinking of where else I wanted to take the beautiful Bella on a date.


	19. Chapter 19

**Edward's POV**

I realized morning had come much too early when the sunlight streaming through the window splashed across my face, waking me up. I thought about staying in bed and trying to fall back asleep, but realized I probably needed to get up. I had to go to the store so I could get everything ready for my lunch with Bella. Groaning, I looked over at the clock and saw that I had three hours before I was supposed to be there, so I decided to take my time and enjoy a long, hot shower.

Once I was in the shower, memories of my thoughts and actions from the day before came to mind, and I felt all the blood flow move from my brain to my groin. _Christ, you aren't a teenager anymore, man. Suck it up! Think of something else. Baseball. Yeah, the Washington Nationals. Tim Raines, Hall of Fame..._ I looked down and shook my head. Yeah, that did it.

I quickly finished showering and then hopped out and dried off before throwing on a long-sleeved, dark blue T-shirt and jeans. After strapping on my watch, I pulled on a jacket to ward off the early morning chill, stuffed my wallet and phone into the pocket, and locked the door behind me. I had no need for a grocery list since the soup and sandwiches I planned on making for Bella were ones I'd made many times before.

I turned around and realized Bella was sitting on the top step between our apartments, bundled up against the cold, her coffee in hand. "Morning, Bella." I smiled, inordinately happy to see her first thing in the morning.

She turned her head and flashed her gorgeous smile my way. "Good morning! What are you doing up and out this early?"

When she scooted over a bit, I carefully sat down beside her, turning slightly to face her. "I needed to go to the store and grab some stuff to make lunch today." I cocked my head in the direction of the cup of coffee in her hand. "I see that you've been out already this morning, as well."

"Mmm, I didn't feel like making my own this morning, so I ran down to the corner to grab a cup. Want a drink?"

Grinning—and needing that hit of caffeine—I took the cup carefully from her hand and smelled the deep fragrance coming up through the hole in the lid before taking a cautious sip. Handing it back to her, I sighed. "Ahh, perfect. Will have to stop there on my way to the store. How'd you sleep last night?"

She smiled and tucked her free hand into the long sleeve of her sweatshirt before answering. "I slept well, actually, for the first time in a while. It's hard for me to get used to the new place. It always takes me a few weeks to get comfortable someplace. Apparently, I was tired enough, or just in that good a mood, because I fell asleep pretty quickly. I slept all the way through, until about thirty minutes ago when the sun woke me."

"Damn sun," I grumbled. "I know the feeling. Even the curtains can't keep it out." Her laugh was like bells on the cool summer air. I took a look at my watch and realized I needed to get out of there. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I really should get to the store. See you at noon?" I asked quietly.

When she nodded, a few strands of hair fluttered around her face. I reached over carefully and tucked them behind her ear, caressing her cheek softly.

"Thanks," she whispered, smiling up at me.

"My pleasure. Don't stay out here too long. You don't wanna be sick for your opening tomorrow." My voice was stern, but I knew she could tell I was teasing when she grinned.

"Yes, doctor. See you in a few hours, Edward."

"Of course." I leaned down to kiss her softly and then turned around and quickly made my way down the steps to my car.

I drove up the block to the coffee shop, and as I ordered my coffee, I thought of how cute Bella had looked. The cool air had turned her cheeks a beautiful pink, her hair had been combed, but not sleekly styled, and her jeans and sweatshirt had done nothing to hide her gorgeous curves. When the cashier had to say my total several times to get my attention, I chuckled and tried to get my mind off Bella. _Think lunch, Cullen_, I growled internally.

Taking the large cup of black coffee from the young woman behind the counter, I smiled my thanks and headed back out to the car. After turning around, I drove back by the apartment to go to the grocery store I frequented. Bella was just heading to her door, so I honked my horn and waved as she turned and saw me drive by. Her smile lit up her face as she waved back, and then she was gone as I drove past.

The drive to the store was quick, and since I'd only drunk half my coffee, I decided to sneak it in with me, along with the green grocery bag I used. I grabbed a cart and headed to the produce section, thinking over what I already had at home. After grabbing the veggies I needed and then the sourdough and half n' half, I moved to the deli.

The older woman behind the counter looked up at me and smiled when I approached. "May I help you?"

"Yes, please. I'd like two extra thick slices each of the Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan cheeses, please. I wanna be able to shred them before I use them."

"Oh, we have a grater in the back. If you know how much you need of each, I can go ahead and shred them for you, if you'd prefer."

I nodded. "That would be great." I thought for a minute and then asked, "Could you give me five ounces of each, please? That'll be a bit more than I need, but I can always use the leftovers another time."

"Sure, give me just a couple of minutes. If you have other shopping, you could finish that before coming back to pick this up," she offered helpfully.

"Thanks. This is my last stop before checking out, so I'll wait here."

She nodded before taking the four cheeses from the case and making her way to the back.

I finished my coffee and tossed the empty cup into the trash can beside the deli case.

Less than five minutes later, she was back with four small baggies of the shredded cheeses. "Here you go." She handed me the bags, each of which had a barcoded sticker on it. "You can pay up front with the rest of your items."

"Thank you very much," I told her warmly. "You saved me some work later. I appreciate it."

"Not a problem. Enjoy it!" She smiled again before turning to the man who was behind me in line.

Quickly moving to the front of the store, I paid and carried the bag of groceries out to the car. The clock showed only ten thirty, so I had plenty of time. I ran into the coffee shop for a minute and ordered two cups of coffee, then doctored one before going back to the car. I drove down the block and parked in front of my store. Carefully carrying the two cups in the cup holder balanced in one hand and the grocery bag in the other, I knocked gently on Bella's door with one foot.

When she opened the door and saw me, I smiled at the surprise on her face. "Edward, hi! What's up?"

I held up the coffee. "I figured if you were anything like me, you could probably use a second cup. I stopped to get one for myself and went ahead and got one for you. The one with the black lid is mine. Yours has milk and sugar in it already. I hope I got the amounts right."

She took it carefully from the holder, barely moving the container and other cup in my hand.

"Thank you! I was just reading and thinking about trying to dig my coffeemaker out. Now that can wait till later, thank goodness." She smiled up at me before taking a sip. "Mmm, perfect. Thank you again," she murmured.

"No problem. I'm gonna go put these into the fridge before I drop them."

"Is that all for lunch?" When I nodded, she laughed. "Why don't you just come in here and put it all in my fridge? No point in carrying them to your place, then having to carry them back over here in an hour."

Grinning, I agreed. "Sounds good."

She stepped aside so I could enter the apartment, and then she shut and locked the door behind me. Her phone rang just as she finished locking the door. "Just head into the kitchen. I'll be right there."

I heard her answer the phone as I set the bag and my coffee down on the counter. Unloading the cheese for the sandwiches, I found places in the fridge for it all. Then I took the bread out of the bag and put it out of the way on the counter. Bella walked in then, and I held up the bag with a smile. "All done. The rest I'll take home with me to start lunch over there."

Nodding in understanding, she said, "My dad said hi. He was just calling to check and see how my first weekend was going. I mentioned that I was seeing you today, so he wanted to be sure I told you thank you again for your help. I'm also supposed to tell your family." She chuckled, shaking her head.

"It was definitely my pleasure," I assured her. "Tell him I said hello the next time you speak to him." I picked up my coffee, holding the grocery bag and the cup holder in one hand and my coffee in the other. "I'm gonna head over to my place. I need to do a few things before coming back over."

"Oh, okay. Sounds good." She walked me to the door. "See you in an hour."

"Bye, Bella," I said softly, leaning down and brushing my lips across her cheek.

She blushed and opened the door for me, letting me out onto the small deck between our apartments.

I was nearly to my door when I heard her door shut, and I let myself into my apartment with a smile on my face. It was already a great day, and it was only eleven in the morning. _Such a pussy..._ _If only Emmett and Jasper could see me now._ I rolled my eyes and realized I didn't care. Spending any amount of time with Bella made me happy, so I wasn't going to question that.

I did feel a little better when I heard a girly squeal and then giggles coming from Bella's apartment. I wasn't the only one feeling like I was.

I planned to make the soup at my place and then take it over to keep warm while I made the grilled cheese at Bella's. I had an hour, and the soup wasn't going to take that long to cook, so I just put the veggies in the fridge and went to check my e-mail. I didn't really have anything else to do, and that would keep me occupied until I had to start cooking lunch.

~*~CIBD~*~

An hour later, I knocked on Bella's door, and my breath caught when she opened it moments later. She looked great in the jeans and red sweater. Her hair was clipped up casually, with a few strands falling down around her face, and her makeup was light and fresh—really natural-looking. I was glad. She was pretty enough without looking too made-up.

When she spoke, I realized I'd been staring and quickly shook myself out of it.

"Come in, Edward." She smiled and stepped to the side, giving me room to enter the apartment.

"Thanks, Bella. You look beautiful."

Her eyes fluttered closed when I leaned toward her and brushed my lips across her cheek softly.

Since I'd made the soup ahead of time, I knew it wouldn't take long to get the rest of lunch ready. Making my way to the kitchen with Bella at my side, I requested, "Sit and keep me company while I cook?" I smiled when she took a seat at the kitchen table. I put the soup on the stove and the bag on the counter.

"So what're we having? What smells so good in that pot?" she asked.

I opened the lid and brushed my hand over it, as if I could push more of the smell of the soup toward her. "Homemade tomato soup and one of my favorites: grilled cheese sandwiches." I shrugged. "It seemed kind of homey. I hope that's okay."

"Oh! I haven't had grilled cheese and tomato soup in a while. That sounds delicious, and it smells even better. Are you sure you don't want some help?"

I shook my head. "I've got it covered." I turned the stove burner on low to keep the soup warm and then looked over at her. "You can direct me to a heavy skillet. I brought my own grill pan over in case you didn't have one, but I figured you'd have a skillet."

"Umm, I think it's in the cabinet on the bottom, just to the right of the stove." She chuckled. "I didn't unload the kitchen stuff myself, so I'm trying to remember where Sue put it."

I checked and found the skillet I was looking for, setting it on the counter so I could unload the stuff I'd brought in the sack. "Okay, olive oil and grill pan, as well as some sour cream to put in the soup or on the sandwiches if you'd like."

We talked while I fixed the grilled cheeses. I didn't think I'd ever get tired of hearing Bella's voice. She asked about my family, and I told her more about my parent. Once I set the food on the table, the only sounds were quiet moans of contentment.

"This is so good," Bella said around bites of soup and sandwich. "What kind of cheese did you use?"

"You can use any combination, or just one if you prefer that simple." I recounted the four types of cheese I'd included in the sandwiches and then admitted, "This is usually the kind I make, so I'm glad you like it."

"I do! The sourdough is really good with it, too. Nice and crispy, but with a bit of chewiness to the inside. It's perfect. You make this a lot?"

I nodded. "It was a staple of mine during school. My mom taught us all a few dishes for each meal when we were in high school. This was one of my lunch dishes."

"That's good. It's important that a man knows how to cook. I did all the cooking when I visited Charlie. I was okay with that, but it would've been nice to share the burden."

"I'm not a fabulous chef or anything," I rushed to say, "but I can definitely hold my own in the kitchen. If nothing else, I can read a recipe like no one's business."

I grinned when she chuckled in response.

"So, you still up for helping me unpack?" she questioned. "There are a lot of boxes!"

"Of course!" I tried putting a little smugness into my voice. "I don't back out when I give my word," I teased.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you!"

We laughed and finished our lunch in peaceful quiet.


	20. Chapter 20

**Edward's POV**

As soon as the lunch mess was cleaned up, Drill Sergeant Bella appeared. It was a little frightening, actually. It was like she'd suddenly channeled Alice.

"I'm gonna work on these boxes of books. You, Mr. Music Man, unpack that box of CDs and put them on the shelves under the TV. I have that crappy little stereo system, but I think I'm gonna buy a new one."

She was talking a mile a minute, and even though it was funny, I was afraid to laugh. Instead, I chose to ask, "So, uh, how would you like these organized?"

She waved her hand. "Oh, I don't care." Laughing, she continued, "As soon as I start playing them, they'll get unorganized really quickly."

I opened one case and popped the CD into the stereo. The sounds of The Cure blasted out over the speakers, and I laughed as Bella sang along to "High," from their 1992 album. I joined on the chorus, and we continued to sing along with the entire CD.

By the time I had all of her CDs unpacked, she was only about halfway through her books. I moved across the living room to help finish emptying those boxes.

"Geez, Bella, like to read much?" I teased as we opened the fourth box.

She nodded. "I do. Very much so." She held up a well-worn copy of Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_. "I read practically anything, but the old books like this are my favorites. What about you?"

"I read...some." I laughed. "Not nearly as much as you. I have as many boxes of CDs and records as you have of books. I do have a bookcase full of books, though. I think I even have a few you don't."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "Now that I'll have to see." She winked and went back to putting her last few books on the shelf.

"Anytime. In fact, would you like to come over after the poetry reading tonight? We can have a glass of wine to balance out the coffee I'm sure we'll drink earlier in the evening."

"Sure." She smiled. "At some point tonight, though, I do need to make sure everything's ready for the opening tomorrow."

"How's this sound? We could grab dinner at the coffee shop while we're there, then come back here and double check things down in the shop, and then head up to my place for a nightcap."

"Sounds perfect." She stood up and stretched. "Okay, kitchen's done. Books and CDs are done. The girls unpacked all my bedroom stuff when they were here, and Sue unpacked the kitchen. I've already done my bathroom. All that's left are the boxes of my mom's stuff that my dad brought up."

I didn't want to insinuate myself into something that was private, so I asked, "Want some help, or would you prefer to do that while you're alone?"

She shook her head. "No, I'd like you to stay, if you don't mind."

I pulled her into my arms and kissed her softly. "I don't mind at all. If you'll tell me where the boxes are, I'll bring them in here, and we can sit on the sofa and go through them."

"Thanks. There are three of them in the bedroom against the far wall. Want a drink?" She glanced at me with an eager, questioning look.

"Just water, thanks."

I moved the boxes, which were surprisingly light, from the bedroom to the living room and took the bottle of water from Bella when she sat down beside me.

She hesitated before pulling off the tape from the top box. The first thing she pulled out was a folded quilt. When she opened it up, I could see a pattern of red and gold circles sewn all over the top.

"This was my grandmother's. She passed it down to my mom when she and my dad got married. The pattern's called a Double Wedding Ring, and it's traditionally given to a bride and groom. My grandmother's aunt quilted it herself and gave it to my grandmother on her wedding day." She was touching the quilt reverently with her fingertips.

"It's beautiful. I'm sure it was a lot of work, but it was well worth it," I said quietly.

She smiled back at me, seeming pleased with my observation. Together, we folded the blanket and set it aside, and then Bella reached back into the box. She pulled out an old, wooden jewelry box. When she opened the lid, I saw a handful of pieces, including a few rings, bracelets, a watch, earrings, and several necklaces.

"Most of this stuff isn't worth much. I've already got the more expensive and more important pieces, like her wedding sets and the diamond earrings Phil gave her. Now that I have more of my own space, I can make room for this stuff as well."

I picked up one of the necklaces and held it out. "This is pretty." The green stone looked beautiful against her pale skin.

"It is. I think Phil gave her that on their second anniversary. There's a ring in here that matches it."

"You should wear some of this stuff, Bella," I encouraged. "I doubt your mom would want it to just sit around gathering dust. She would be pleased to have you wear it and remember her, I'd think."

She nodded and said, "I'll think about it. I'm not huge into jewelry, but a necklace or bracelet sometimes would be nice."

She set the jewelry box aside and reached back into the box. Her eyes teared up when she pulled out a stack of videos.

"Home movies?" I grinned.

"Yeah," she answered with a laugh. "Oh, God, you can _not_ watch these. I was such a weird little kid."

"Oh, see, now I _have_ to watch 'em!" I teased. "I'm sure you were absolutely adorable."

She shook her head, set the movies on the coffee table in front of us, and then reached for the next box.

On the top of the second box was a sealed bag. "Oh, her wedding dresses. I think both are in this bag. Her wedding to Phil was much more elaborate and fancy." She laughed. "Her wedding to my dad was pretty laid-back. They got married outside at his friend Billy Black's place. She was wearing a simple white dress, slippers, and no veil or anything. Her dress for her second wedding was white too, but it was long, lacy, with a train and a veil."

"What are you gonna do with these?" I asked gently.

"Not sure," she said, her brow wrinkling with thought. "I think I should get them sealed better so they stay in good condition."

"We could ask Alice. I'm sure that if she doesn't know herself, she could easily find out."

She nodded absently, already setting the bag aside to look underneath it in the box.

"Oh!" Bella's hand flew to her mouth as she pulled out a little pink dress. "I'd forgotten my mom had saved some of my baby clothes."

"Damn, you were tiny," I mumbled, looking through some of the other clothes in the box.

She laughed. "I wasn't _that_ tiny. I was a baby. All babies are small!"

I held up one outfit that looked distinctly like a clown costume. "Your first Halloween?" I smirked.

"Oh, geez, yes. I don't remember it, of course. I was only a few months old. Mom had a picture somewhere of me in that silly outfit, complete with a bright orange wig. I guess I was lucky she didn't find a small red nose to put on my face."

I laughed for a minute and then began setting the baby clothes aside so she could look underneath them.

The only other thing in the box were photo albums. She pulled them out one by one, and we began looking through them together. One was full of pictures of her life with Charlie. They looked so young, and she looked very much like another version of Bella.

"She was beautiful," I told Bella. "She looks a lot like you, although you still look more like Charlie, I think."

A second album was full of Bella as a baby, all the way through her high school graduation. When she turned one page, she groaned when the aforementioned clown picture came into view.

"How embarrassing," she mumbled, trying to turn the page.

I stopped her with a hand on hers. "I think it's adorable. Really," I told her sincerely.

She smiled and then continued flipping through the pages until we'd gone through the entire second album.

The third was pictures of her and Phil, with a few that included Bella.

"He made her so happy," Bella said, running her finger lightly over her mother's face in one picture from Renee and Phil's wedding. "He was a good man. My dad's a good man too, but Renee outgrew him. She needed more excitement than Forks and Charlie could provide for her. Phil was able to give her adventure, excitement, and still love her and keep her safe. I think Charlie resented her for a lot of years, for leaving him and taking me away, but he was happy when she found Phil. He treated her well and treated me well, without trying to replace him in my life, and that's what really mattered to Charlie."

She started crying, big, wet tears trailing along her cheeks, and I reached to take the album from her. I set it on the table and then pulled her into my arms. "It's okay, love. Cry if you need to. Let it all out." My breath caught for a moment when I realized what I'd said.

We sat for a few minutes, until her tears slowed and then stopped. I reached over for a tissue from the box on the table and handed it to her. She wiped her eyes and nose and snuggled farther against my side.

"Thanks. I haven't really cried for them in a while. It's gotten easier, but I think with the move and Angela being gone now, it's kind of coming to a head again."

I shrugged. "You're entitled to cry. No one, especially my family or I, will think less of you for it. My shoulder is always here for you, okay?"

She nodded. "I think the other boxes are just clothes. When I went through their things after it happened, I donated most of it. I did keep a few things I might want some day. Oh, there's one thing you might like, though. I'm not sure why I kept it, since it was Phil's, not mine."

I pulled the boxes over for her, and she opened one and began looking through it without digging anything out. When she pushed the first box aside, I moved the other in front of us and opened it for her. She began looking through it and then made a sound that let me know she'd found what she was looking for.

"Got it?" I asked, smiling at the look on her face.

"Yep!" She pulled out a leather jacket and held it out to me. "Try this on," she said, handing it to me.

I took the jacket and stood, sliding my arms into the sleeves. It was the perfect fit. Soft, worn leather, but still in excellent condition.

I was stunned at her thoughtfulness. "Bella, are you sure you want me to have this?"

She looked uncertain. "I mean, if you don't want it, you don't have to—"

I pulled her up and into my arms and kissed her deeply. When we moved apart, we were both breathing heavily, and her eyes had darkened to a deep, dark brown.

"Oh, yeah, I want it. Thank you," I said, smiling against her hair as I hugged her.

It meant a lot that she wanted me to have the jacket. It wasn't that it was horribly expensive, or even brand new. Just the thought that she already cared enough about me to share this experience of going through her mother's things made me extremely happy.

"You're welcome," she replied as she hugged me tightly. "Okay, so most of the clothes I'll probably just store. I'll go through them all some other time, though, so we can reseal those two boxes. Can you retape them while I put the other things away?"

"Sure. Where's the tape?"

"Should be in one of the kitchen drawers," she said.

"Okay, I'll find it," I called as I walked into the kitchen.

Sure enough, I found it in the first drawer I checked. By the time I'd finished taping the two boxes of clothes and had put the tape back in the drawer, Bella had put the photo albums and home movies on the bookshelf and under the TV.

"Bring the jewelry box, please," she requested, motioning toward the little box before grabbing the quilt.

We moved into her bedroom, and she put the quilt on the dresser and pointed beside it. I set the jewelry box there to the side.

"Are you gonna put the quilt on the bed?"

She shook her head. "No, I think I'll buy a quilt stand and put it over in the corner, away from the windows. Not sure where I'll put the jewelry box, but it can go on the dresser for now."

"What about buying a shelf for the room? You could put the shelf on the wall near the quilt and then put the jewelry box and a favorite picture of your mom and Phil, and even one of Charlie if you want, on the shelf beside it?"

"Hmm, maybe, yeah. That way it's there, but not taking up space on the dresser. Thanks, Edward. For everything, I mean."

I held my arms open. "You're most certainly welcome. Now, how about we pick out a movie and curl up on the couch for a while? You're gonna be really busy starting tomorrow, so you should relax today while you can."

She nodded against my chest. "Sounds good. Come on, help me choose a movie, 'kay?"

"Of course. Can't let you have all the fun," I teased.

I smiled when she laughed softly, and then I took her hand and led her back to the living room. I was determined to pick a movie that would put a smile on her beautiful face.

Twenty minutes into _The Hangover_, Bella's head was on my shoulder. Ten minutes after that, I felt her soft exhalations as she drifted into sleep. I turned the volume down, pulled her more fully into my arms, and continued watching. By the end of the movie, I wasn't sure which I'd enjoyed more: the crazy antics in the movie, or the feel of Bella sleeping in my arms.

When the screen went black at the end of the movie, Bella stirred. She sat up and rubbed a hand across her face as she yawned.

"Wow, sorry! How long as I out?"

I chuckled. "You fell asleep about thirty minutes in, but honestly, I'm not sure you saw much after the first twenty."

"Sorry! I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I guess your shoulder was just comfortable." She shrugged sheepishly, blushing.

I ran a finger softly down her cheek and smiled. "Don't be sorry. You can use me as a pillow anytime."

She smiled and asked, "How long until the poetry reading starts?"

I checked my watch. "It starts at six thirty, so we have about three hours. Do you wanna go down and finish getting ready for your opening tomorrow?"

Bella perked up right away, grinning excitedly. "Yes, please."

"Let me gather up my stuff and take it back to my place, and then I'll meet you down there, okay?"

"I'll help you," she offered, "and then we can go down together."

I smiled as I stood and then held my hand out to help her to her feet. We quickly gathered up the stuff from lunch and left her apartment. After dropping everything off in my kitchen, I took Bella's hand as we walked down the stairs and into the front door of Bella's Books.

"Okay, so what still needs checked?"

"Well, I have cash for the register locked in a lockbox upstairs. Angela and I went over the inventory the other day. I wanna make sure the register is working and that I have plenty of receipts, that the shelves are dusted, the sign's straight, and—"

Her voice got higher and higher with each word, until I thought she might start hyperventilating. I pulled her to me and kissed her softly.

When we pulled apart, she blinked up at me. "Thanks." She sighed. "I was, uh, getting a little bit worked up, I think."

I hugged her again and smiled. "Yeah, you were. You're entitled. Now, we'll take it one step at a time, okay? Work together to make sure you're ready."

Over the next hour and a half, we checked the register, swept the floor, made sure the shelves of books were dusted, and just did anything and everything Bella could think of to make sure the store was ready for the big day.

"I dunno about you, but I think I want another shower before going out. Come pick me up when it's time go?" she asked, smiling.

I nodded. "Will do. Don't forget, dinner at the coffee shop and then wine at my place after the reading, right?"

"Mmhmm," she said, wrapping her arms around me. "I'll be ready."

She reached up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine. It was a quick kiss, but she'd been the one to initiate it, which made it that much more special.

When she dropped her arms and stepped back, I smiled. "I'll see you in a bit," I murmured before turning away.

As I stepped through the door, she whispered, "See you."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

Four hours later, we walked back hand in hand to Edward's apartment. The poetry reading had been fun, but I was looking forward to a glass of wine and the chance to snoop.

Edward unlocked the door and then stood aside to let me walk in ahead of him. "Please, come in," he offered with a smile. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll pour us some wine."

He was headed for the kitchen when I called, "Mind if I snoop through the bookshelf?"

Edward laughed. "Not at all. _Mi casa es su casa,_" he answered back.

When he walked back into the living room, I had a book in each hand and my eye on the shelves.

"You have a great selection."

"Thanks. You're welcome to borrow any you haven't read," he said, but his eyes were twinkling with amusement.

I put one of the books back on the shelf. "Thanks. I'll take this one and get it back to you when I finish with it."

"Wine? I hope red is okay."

I nodded and moved over to the couch, setting the book down on the table in front of me. "Thanks."

He sat beside me and handed me the glass. "So I was thinking..." He grinned. "Wanna play Twenty Questions?"

I laughed. "I haven't played that in years. Sounds fun. You go first."

He thought for a moment and then asked, "What's your favorite candy?"

"Skittles," I answered immediately. "If I could buy the green and red ones by themselves, I would."

"I like the purple. I love grape," he explained with a laugh.

"Ugh, no thanks. I hate grape gum, grape candy..." I shrugged. "I like grape juice and grapes themselves, but other grape-flavored things, no thanks. Okay, my turn. If you could have any super power, what would it be?"

He thought for a moment. "Invisibility. I'd love to be able to disappear when I needed to."

"Oh, good one! Me, I'd love to be able to read minds."

He shook his head. "I doubt that's all it's cracked up to be. Think about having to hear every thought of everyone around you. Teenage girls, bad guys...no thanks."

"Mmm, I hadn't thought of that. Okay, next question!" I laughed, taking a sip of my wine.

He smirked. "When was your first kiss?"

"John Stone, in second grade. He ran up on the playground, kissed me, and then ran away," I answered quickly.

Edward laughed, his head thrown back and a huge grin on his face. "Okay, silly girl, first _real_ kiss."

I blushed. "Wesley Stephens, my first semester of college."

I watched his jaw drop. "College? Seriously?"

"I, uh, didn't really date in high school."

He shook his head. "Bella, you're a beautiful woman. I've seen the pictures of you when you were younger, and you were just as beautiful then. Were the guys in high school blind, or just stupid?"

Laughing, I said, "Neither, really. I was always too busy studying or writing to date in high school. Wes was the first guy I really connected with." I wanted to turn the conversation from myself, so I asked my next question. "Do you have any piercings or tattoos?"

"Mountain lion on the back of my shoulder," he answered quickly. "Wanna see?"

I grinned. "Maybe later. Sexy... Why a mountain lion?"

"I got it in college. I felt really out of place at first. In high school, I'd been kind of a big shot; all the girls liked me, all the guys were jealous of me. I went from being the Big Man on Campus to being a little fish in a big pond. No one really took me seriously when I said I wanted to concentrate on music instead of going pre-med. I almost caved, until Emmett and Alice convinced me not to give up on my dream." He took my hand, stroking my palm with his thumb softly as he continued to talk. "I like the mountain lion. It's sleek and fast, puts up a good fight. I got it on my shoulder to remind me I needed to fight for what I wanted." When he finished, he looked up and smiled. "So that's why a mountain lion."

"Wow." I smiled. "Well, if you're happy, then Emmett and Alice were right."

"I am happy," he said, nodding. "Okay, my question. Do you like to dance?"

I laughed and shook my head. "I've never been dancing, actually. I really have no sense of balance."

I squeaked when he quickly took both glasses of wine, set them on the table, and then got to his feet. He took a couple of steps to the bookshelf, fiddled with a CD, and then hit the play button. The beginning notes of Lifehouse's "You and Me" floated out of the speakers.

He held out a hand, bowing slightly, and asked, "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me now, Miss Swan?"

"Edward, really," I said, feeling somewhat apprehensive. "I don't wanna hurt your feet."

"Please, Bella, trust me. It's all in the leading."

I'd kicked my shoes off at some point during our conversation, so when I took Edward's hand and stood, my eyes came to his chin. He slid his left hand to my right and moved it to his shoulder and then moved his hand to my waist. His right hand took my left and held it between our bodies, entwining our fingers and resting it against his warm chest.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his chest. We moved and swayed gently to the music, our feet barely even moving. The music switched to the next song, Kelly Clarkson's "Addicted." Edward let go of my hand and slid his other arm around my waist, holding me tightly against him.

I looked up into his eyes and watched as his head slowly descended to mine. The moment his lips touched mine, my eyes fluttered closed and I leaned into the kiss. His touch was tentative at first, until I parted my lips, silently inviting him in. His tongue traced my lips before sliding against mine. He moved his hands down to cup my bottom and his leg over to cradle me against his hard thigh.

I couldn't seem to get close enough; I _had _to feel his bare skin. I yanked up the hem of his T-shirt with determined hands and then ran my palms over his chest. Hot, smooth satin. Pebble-hard nipples. Rigid stomach muscles jerked in response as my exploration moved lower.

When his hands pressed me tighter against his thigh, I moaned against his lips, and the sound broke the fog of lust around my brain. I pulled back slightly, breathing heavily.

He leaned his forehead against mine. "God, Bella, you're addictive. One taste, and I want more."

I giggled nervously. "I know the feeling."

I flexed my fingers. My fingernails raked gently across the skin right under the waist of his jeans, where my hands had ended up before I stopped.

Edward moaned softly. His tortured "Bella" brought me to my senses, and I stepped back out of his arms.

"As much as I wanna continue this, now isn't the time," I whispered, hoping he would understand. "I have a big day tomorrow, it's late, and—"

He took a step forward and pressed a finger to my lips. "You don't have to explain, love. If we ever take that step, it'll be the right time. Tonight isn't the right time. I'm okay with that."

My heart skipped a beat at the new term of endearment, but I tried to push it to the back of my mind, sure he didn't mean it the way it had sounded. I was pulled out of my thoughts when he kissed me once, tenderly.

Humming, he smiled against my lips. "I do love kissing you, though, and we _will_ be dancing again. We move together too perfectly not to."

I nodded, swallowing hard. "I like kissing you, too, Edward," I said softly. "Walk me to my door?"

He smiled gently. "Of course."

He waited until I slipped my shoes on and grabbed the book I was borrowing, and then he took my hand. He didn't bother locking his door when we walked outside. We walked slowly across the landing to my door. I unlocked it and then turned to face him again.

"I had a great day today. Thank you."

He smiled and pulled me into his arms. "I'm glad. I had fun today, too. Get some sleep tonight. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll look forward to it," I whispered.

I kissed him once more and then turned and walked inside. I waited in the doorway until he stepped inside his apartment. He turned and waved once before shutting the door behind him. I closed my own door, turned the lock, and then slid to the floor.

I'd come very close to making love with Edward Cullen tonight. I knew it would happen eventually. After all, I was already well on my way to falling in love with him. The thought didn't scare me like I'd thought it might. Instead, I picked myself up off the floor and began the walk to my bedroom, a tiny smile on my face the whole way.


	21. Chapter 21

**Bella's POV**

My alarm blared at seven o'clock Monday morning, dragging me out of an increasingly sexy dream about Edward I'd been having the last few nights. I slammed my hand down on the Off button and then sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. As I took my shower, I went over my clothes in my head and finally decided on what to wear for the first day open for Bella's Books.

Once I'd dried my body and twisted my hair up in a towel, I went back to the bedroom to get dressed. First on was a matching set of light blue bra and panties, followed by a pair of black slacks and a black and white printed V-neck blouse. I would probably be on my feet most of the day, so I slipped on a pair of dressy sandals, which were more comfortable than they looked.

Thirty minutes later, my hair was straight and dry, falling in a wispy layer around my ears. My makeup was perfectly, understatedly done to highlight my eyes.

By the time I finished eating a quick bowl of the new Chocolate Cheerios, I was ready to head downstairs. There was only about thirty minutes before the store was supposed to open. I needed to turn on the computer so it was ready if I needed it, and I needed to get the cash in the register so I could give out change. I grabbed the money bag from the lock box, my cellphone and wallet from the counter in the kitchen, and my keys. I locked the apartment's inside door behind me before heading down the stairs to my office.

Everything was dark and quiet downstairs. After flipping on all the lights, I went back to the office to turn on the computer. Once it was up and running, I took the money back into the main area and used the key to turn on and unlock the cash register.

Just as I finished separating out the money into the correct slots, there was a knock on the door. I looked up to see Rose waving from right outside the door, with a big grin on her face and two cups of coffee from the coffee shop in her hands. I laughed and moved to unlock the door so she could come inside.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, standing out of the way so I could lock the door behind her. I took the proffered coffee from her after turning the key.

"I couldn't let you open the store without some support, Bella. Alice really wanted to be here, but she couldn't get out of work. They move in a couple of weeks, and she wants to part on good terms, so she can't cut out on a day of work unless it's an emergency. Jasper, either, unfortunately. Fortunately for me, Emmett said he could handle the shop this morning, so I'm all yours." She smiled brightly and then clarified, "if you want the company, I mean."

I nodded. "I'd love the company! I'm hoping I'll be busy enough to need your help, as well," I said with a laugh.

"Are you ready? You open in about fifteen minutes, right?" When I nodded, she smiled. "Then let's sit, chat, and drink our coffee until it's time."

We sat in the two chairs in the main room, enjoying the early morning warmth from the sun streaming through the window.

"So how was your Sunday?"

I smiled, remembering all the time Edward and I had spent together. I told her bits and pieces, from Edward bringing me coffee in the morning, then cooking me lunch and helping me unpack the boxes of my mom's things, to dancing before I went home. I didn't tell her about nearly throwing myself at him _while_ we danced, though. Some things were a bit too personal to tell anyone—especially his family.

"Anyway, it was a lot of fun. I'm really enjoying spending time getting to know him. I, umm, I really like him."

Rose grinned. "That's good, because from everything we've seen and heard, he _really_ likes you, too."

I started to ask how they knew, when there was another knock at the door. When I looked up, I saw a young man standing outside, holding three big vases full of flowers. He was wearing a green jacket and matching baseball cap, with some sort of logo on them. In front of the store was a green van with a florist's name and logo on the side.

Rose and I left our coffee on the little table and got up to answer the door.

"Bella Swan?" the man asked. At my nod, he handed me two of the vases and the third to Rose. "These are for you. Have a nice day."

Once he left, I didn't bother re-locking the door, since it was very nearly nine o'clock.

"Wow, who sent you flowers?" Rose asked, smiling.

We set the flowers out of the way on the counter. I picked out a card from the closest bouquet, which consisted of white carnations, gerberas, lilies, and some greenery.

"Oh, this is from Angela and Ben, wishing me good luck on my grand opening." I smiled, tucking the card back into the flowers.

Rose nodded. "Ten to one, one of the others is from Edward."

I glanced at her. "Do you know something I don't?" I teased.

She shook her head. "Nope, but I do know Edward."

I gazed at the second vase, which was full of beautiful pink magnolias, pink lotus flowers, bright yellow chrysanthemums, white lilies, and some other tiny pink flowers I couldn't readily identify. Deciding to wait till last for those, I plucked the card from the second vase of pink carnations.

_Isabella,_

_Sue and I are very proud of you, sweetheart. Your mom and Phil would be, too. Congratulations on starting your dream._

_Love,_

_Your old dad_

I sniffled, holding out the card for Rose to read.

"Aww, that's sweet," she said, tucking it back in its envelope and gesturing for the other. "I'm sure he wishes he could be here."

I nodded and reached for the third vase, smiling softly as I read the card.

_B,_

_I didn't want to crowd you on your opening day, but please know I'm a phone call or a few steps away if you need me. I chose these flowers specifically for today because of their meanings._

_They all signify good luck. The magnolia also symbolizes feminine beauty, the lotus purity, chrysanthemums and the small plum blossoms living an easy life. Combined with the lotus flowers, the lilies are supposed to bring extra luck._

_Alice assured me that you'll have a great day, and I've learned never to bet against the little pixie._

_Remember, I'm here._

_Thinking of you always,_

_E._

I smiled and handed the card to Rose, who smirked as she read it.

"I swear, that man doesn't even have to try. Romance just oozes out his pores, doesn't it?"

Laughing, I nodded and took the card, sliding it into my pocket, just as my cell phone buzzed, signaling a new text message.

_Do you like the flowers? – E_

I grinned and fired off a reply. _They're beautiful, thank you! – B_

_My pleasure. Bring you lunch today? If that's okay... – E_

_Always. – B_

I'd just put my cell phone back in my pocket when the chime above the door rang and the young woman from the newspaper came in.

"Are you open?" she asked cheerfully.

Rose put our coffees down beside the register and then grabbed a chair from my office and sat down out of the way behind the counter. "Go get em, kiddo," she said with a smile as I greeted my very first customer.

"I certainly am," I replied, smiling at the young woman.

My first day as an entrepreneur had begun.

~*~CIBD~*~

There was a steady stream of customers from the moment the door opened. When I had a break at the register, I kept one eye on the browsing customers and pulled out another chair from the office, sitting down next to Rose so we could chat.

"Things are going well," she said, grinning encouragingly.

I nodded. "They are. The ad really helped. That last coupon made eight already this morning, and it's only—" I looked at my phone "—eleven thirty."

"I liked the little grandmother who came in about an hour ago, but she could really talk, couldn't she?" Rose laughed quietly.

"I think I know more about her grandchildren now than I know about myself," I said, trying unsuccessfully to hold back a grin. "I was glad I had some of the Babysitter's Club and Hardy Boys books for her. She promised to be a regular customer, and that's never a bad thing!"

A young woman with a handful of books in one hand and a young girl's hand in her other walked up to the register.

"Momma, I want my books now!" she whined softly.

"Wait until I pay for them, Trina. Then you can have them," the woman assured her.

I smiled at the mother and then looked at the little girl. "Did you find some good books, sweetie?"

The suddenly shy little girl hid her face, nodded, and held up three fingers.

"You've got a great selection," her mother told me. "We'll definitely be back."

I finished ringing her up and then thanked her for coming in. She gave the little girl the three children's books as they walked out the door.

Before the door could shut, someone else walked in. My heart skipped a beat, and the smile on my face widened.

"Edward," I said in a welcoming tone. "What's all that?"

His hands were full of a small basket. "Hi, Bella," he greeted warmly before turning to Rose. "Hey, Rose. I left Sasha in charge for a couple of hours, so I'm gonna keep Bella company now, if you don't mind." He looked from Rose to me and back again in question.

Rose raised an eyebrow as she looked at me. "I'm sure Emmett wouldn't be opposed to me bringing him lunch and getting some work done this afternoon, if that's okay with you, Bella."

I smiled. "That's fine, Rose. Thanks for spending the morning with me! You were a big help earlier."

She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Not a big deal. I just helped a few people find things while you worked the register. Anyway, give me a call if you need me." She waved to us both and then left the store.

"Hi, love," Edward said as he came around the counter and brushed a kiss across my cheek. "Having a good opening so far?"

I nodded. "Fantastic, actually." My curiosity won out, and I asked, "So what's in the basket?"

"Lunch," he remarked simply. "I figured you'd be too busy to run up and get something, so I thought we could eat together down here."

My stomach growled. "Sounds good. I am kind of hungry."

We took turns eating in the office while the other watched the store, and then we sat behind the counter chatting and drinking the lemonade he'd brought.

"Do you have plans for dinner tonight?" Edward asked, as we watched the customers.

I shook my head. "Not that I know of, why?"

"Emmett, Rose, and I would like to take you out to dinner tonight to celebrate you grand opening. Alice was upset she and Jasper wouldn't be here, but I told her I'd invite you to the family dinner on Friday. She was at least a little happier after that."

"That would be great, thanks," I answered. "What time?"

"Rose and Emmett will meet us at my place at half past six. That should leave you plenty of time to close up down here before coming over, right?"

Nodding, I answered, "I'll be ready."

Over the next few hours, Edward and I laughed and talked, enjoying the time we got to spend together between taking care of customers. I was beginning to learn more and more about him and his entire family. By the time he left at four o'clock to get back to his own store, I'd admitted something important to myself.

I was definitely beginning to fall in love with my stunningly beautiful neighbor.

~*~CIBD~*~

By the time Edward knocked on my door, I was ready and anxious to see the three of them. I'd locked the door just after closing and run upstairs to get ready. I'd changed into a cute charcoal gray skirt with a white collared shirt. I'd washed my face and put on some fresh lip gloss. I was ready to celebrate my first successful day as a business owner.

I answered the door excitedly and sucked in a breath of admiration when I saw Edward. "Hi."

He'd changed into slacks and a dark green polo shirt, which matched his eyes beautifully. Simply put, he looked gorgeous. Rose and Emmett stood behind him on the landing, deep in discussion with one another.

"Hi, Bella." He laughed, rolling his eyes as he glanced at the couple behind him. "Are you ready for dinner?"

I nodded and stepped out. He moved back to give me room to lock the door behind me.

"Hi, Bells," Emmett said loudly, fending off a well-placed elbow from his wife.

"Hi, Bella," Rose echoed. "Emmett's feeling especially rambunctious tonight, so beware."

"Rambunctious?" he laughed. "I'll show you rambunctious, woman!"

Edward rolled his eyes again when Emmett picked Rosalie up and flung her gently over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. He trotted off down the stairs, her loud protests following along in their wake.

I laughed as I watched them go, hearing Rose yell that he'd better not drop her. Edward took my hand, and we started down the stairs ourselves.

"You look beautiful tonight." He glanced over at me, his expression soft and sweet.

I blushed. "Thank you. I love that color," I admitted, gesturing at his shirt with my free hand. "It matches your eyes."

When we got down to the street, Emmett and Rose were already in a huge Jeep parked at the curb.

Edward climbed in and then leaned out and offered me his hand. "Here, I'll help you up. This vehicle is a monstrosity," he said on a sigh.

Emmett growled from behind the wheel. "Hey! Don't knock The Beast!"

I sat next to Edward and laughed. "The Beast? Seriously?"

Edward and Rose just rolled their eyes as Emmett grinned and pulled away from the curb.

Over dinner at a little steak place, we traded stories back and forth about interesting customers we'd all had at our various businesses. Edward was the winner, hands down. A little old man had come in and wanted to buy a bunch of instruments to make his own one-man band.

Edward ordered glasses of Asti Spumanti for everyone. I'd mentioned earlier in the day that it was one of the few alcoholic drinks I liked. As we held our glasses up, he toasted to my first successful day of business.

"To Bella and her books. You had a great start today. May your successes be many, your hardships be few, and your enjoyment be everlasting."

"To Bella!" Emmett and Rose echoed as we all clinked our glasses carefully before sipping the sweet bubbles.

I took a sip and then smiled at everyone. "Thank you guys. It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks, and without your support and friendships, I'd have been truly lost."

"We're glad we could help, Bella," Rose said warmly. "Edward did ask you to our weekly family dinner on Friday, didn't he?"

I nodded. "Are you sure it's okay that I come? This is your family thing, and I—"

Edward used the arm he'd had laying across my shoulders to pull me against him and pressed his lips to mine, quickly and effectively shutting me up.

When I came out of the fog his kiss had put me in, I murmured softly, "I guess that's a yes."

He chuckled. "Of course it's a yes, silly girl."

We finished our drinks and then waited as Edward and Emmett argued over who would pay for dinner. Rose and I just laughed and shook our heads when each palmed a fist to play Rock, Paper, Scissors. When Emmett's rock beat Edward's scissors, I giggled at the look of unhappiness on his face.

I leaned over to brush my lips across his ear softly and then whispered, "You brought me lunch today, Edward. That you took the time to do that for me meant more than any dinner out."

He smiled then, and all the tension drained from his body. When the sparkle came back into his eyes, I laced my fingers with his and smiled. We made our way out of the restaurant, hand in hand.

When Emmett pulled the Jeep to the curb in front of the stores, I thanked the other couple again for dinner.

"It was a lot of fun, wasn't it?" Rose asked, smiling back at me.

"It was! Let me know if I can bring anything Friday, okay? And please tell Alice when you talk to her that I'll call her this week and tell her about today."

She nodded. "I will. Give me a call if you need anything this week."

Edward helped me out of the vehicle and then held my hand as we slowly walked up the stairs. Emmett and Rose pulled away before we even got halfway up.

"Do you wanna come in for a while?" I asked softly as we reached my door. At his nod, I unlocked the door and led him inside.

"Dance with me?" Edward looked at the stereo on the shelf and then back at me.

I nodded and let go of his hand to find the right CD. I immediately grabbed the jazz CD of sensual and romantic saxophones, pianos, and other beautiful-sounding instruments.

Edward surprised me by taking my hand and pulling me into his arms. As his hands settled on my hip and lower back, I wound my arms around his neck. I lay my head on his shoulder as we began to move slowly to the music.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I buried my nose in Bella's hair and pulled her tighter against me. I felt every single one of her curves against my body, and my groin tightened in response. After dancing for a few minutes, I moved my hand from her hip to her chin and tilted her face up for a kiss.

The moment our lips touched, I felt drugged with need. Soft, slow caresses of our lips soon turned into heated fire using our lips, tongues, and teeth. I hissed as her teeth nipped at my lower lip at the same time that her hands moved to tangle in my messy hair.

Bella ground her hips against mine and then pulled away from the kiss long enough to whimper. "Couch," she begged softly.

Wasting no time, I scooped her into my arms, her shoes falling to the floor in the process. I settled us onto the couch, with Bella sitting across my lap. She leaned forward and pressed her chest to mine before capturing my lips in another blistering kiss. The only air we breathed for long minutes was shared between the two of us as we pulled millimeters apart to gasp for needed oxygen.

One hand settled behind Bella to hold her upright. I trailed the other lightly up her arm to her shoulder, across her collarbone, to the slender column of her neck. My fingers traced the vee of her blouse, caressing the pale swell of her breasts beneath the shirt.

I moved down to the first button and then paused and pulled back so I could look her in the eyes.

"May I?" I asked softly.

She nodded silently, keeping her eyes on mine even as I slowly began undoing the buttons on her shirt. I made quick work of the remaining buttons and then moved both hands to her shoulders and slid the cool fabric from her arms.

I let my eyes slowly wander from her beautiful, expressive face, to her lace-covered breasts, and then back up. She leaned into me for another kiss, for which I was more than happy to oblige.

A few minutes passed, and then Bella arched her back as I began trailing damp, open-mouthed kisses away from her lips. I paused just below her ear—a very sensitive area, judging from her reaction. As I nibbled the spot with my teeth and then laved soothingly with my tongue, her responsive body shivered.

The need to touch her, to see her more intimately, grew inside me, and I moved one of my hands to her breasts. I pulled away again and looked up into her lust-clouded, half-closed eyes.

"I wanna see you," I whispered.

She understood what I meant, because she silently reached back and unhooked the clasp of her bra. The white lace fell to her lap as she moved her arms back around. I kept my eyes on hers until she'd reached down to toss the bra to the floor. When her hands moved to cup my face, she kissed me once and then released me, letting her arms relax at her sides.

Finally, I allowed my gaze to move lower. Her skin was perfectly pale and smooth. She wasn't too large or too small; her breasts were just the right size for a handful. Her nipples were a dusky pink and already hardened into little nubs, showing her arousal.

"Beautiful," I whispered, my voice heavy with reverence.

The music continued softly in the background, providing a soft, sultry sound to the moment. I used one hand to push gently at her shoulder, forcing her to lean back against the hand I had ready at her back. Once she was resting against my hand, I was free to dip my head lower.

Bella gasped when my lips captured a nipple, surrounding it with the warm heat of my mouth. My other hand moved to cup the fullness of her other breast, and her nipple slid against my palm with a gentle friction. My mouth and fingers began mimicking one another; my lips, teeth and tongue swirled and scraped and teased, while my fingers caressed and tugged and tweaked.

The taste of her skin was like a drug. I was overwhelmed with sensations: the sounds of the music in the background combined with the whimpers and gasps as she felt pleasure, the scent of her arousal, the taste of her skin. All of it combined to form a heady feeling inside me.

I was surprised when I felt her hand come up and remove mine from her breast. I pulled away and began to ask if everything was okay. She just smiled and used her other hand to press my head back to her breast.

When her hand moved mine down her body to rest on her thigh, I looked up again, all while continuing to tease her breast with my mouth. She was still for a moment, and then she tugged my wrist until my hand slid under the edge of her skirt. I raised an eyebrow, and she nodded.

"Please," she whimpered. "Touch me."

I felt my cock stir and harden further at her words. She shifted on my lap when she felt my length against the back of her thighs. Her legs parted slightly, giving me a bit more access to her body. I slid my hand slowly up her thigh, teasing her soft skin with my fingertips.

When I reached the juncture of her thighs, I felt the damp front of her panties against my palm. The heat coming from underneath the fabric was intense, and the scent of her drifting up from her parted legs was intoxicating. I needed to touch her.

I gave one last nip to the tip of her breast and then pulled my head away. I trailed kisses up her chest, her neck, until I reached her full, pouty lips. I sucked the lower lip into my mouth and bit gently as I slid my fingers beneath the small scrap of fabric between her legs and palmed her curls.

Bella's tongue swept into my mouth, teasing my gums and teeth. When she tangled her tongue with mine, I slid a finger through her curls, testing her wetness. I circled the throbbing bundle of nerves at the top of her slit, pulling a moan from her lips.

"More, Edward," she cried, her words muffled against my lips.

I gathered more of her juices with my finger and then slid it slowly inside her. My thumb made slow circles around her clit as I pulled my finger out and then pushed gently back into her. Her hands were now on my upper arms, and I could feel her nails digging into my skin, tightening more whenever I got close to a particular spot.

When she began moving her hips against my hand, I added a second finger to the one sliding in and out of her body. She was almost panting against my lips, she was breathing so heavily. I could feel her inner muscles tighten around my fingers with every thrust, and I knew she was close.

"Come for me, Bella. I wanna see you fall apart in my arms," I breathed.

My thumb pressed against her clit, stroking the sensitive nub as I curled my fingers up to press against the soft, spongy spot inside her.

Two swipes of my fingers, and Bella shattered in my arms. She stiffened as her orgasm hit and cried my name as she came. I slowed the strokes of my fingers and pressed soft kisses against the corner of her mouth as she came down from the high.

The throbbing in my cock mimicked the pounding of my heart. Seeing her come apart under my touch was an incredible feeling and had me aching. I knew we weren't ready for that big step, so I ignored the monster begging to be unleashed.

I gently slid my fingers from her body and rearranged her panties and skirt as I pulled my hand free. She collapsed against my chest, perspiration dotting her brow.

"God, Edward," she sighed. "That was—"

"Incredible to watch," I interrupted, smiling. "Thank you."

She laughed and looked up at me. "_I_ should be the one thanking _you..._" She grinned.

"Believe me, it was my pleasure," I assured her. Seeing her like that...the pleasure had definitely been mine as well.

We sat in the low light of her living room, listening to the music and relaxing against one another. Finally, I broke the silence.

"I suppose I should go," I said, torn between wishing she'd ask me to stay and knowing it wasn't the right time for that.

She sighed. "Yeah, probably. I need to call Angela and Alice. I promised to tell Angela about the opening today, and I know Alice was disappointed about not being able to be here."

I leaned down, grabbed her shirt from the floor, and then helped her slide it on. She didn't button it, just held it closed with one hand as she stood up from my lap. We walked to her door with my arm around her waist.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked quietly, looking up at me.

"Of course. Lunch again?"

She smiled. "That would be great."

I cupped her face with my hands and leaned down for a kiss. The long, slow kiss threatened to pull me under, begging to turn into more, until we broke apart, gasping for air again.

I kissed her once more and then quickly slipped out the door, closing it behind me. I waited to hear the locks tumble before walking across the landing to my own door.

Once I let myself inside, I headed immediately for the bedroom. The image and sounds of Bella flying in my arms had kept me achingly hard. Even after losing myself to my own release, the memory kept me on edge. I knew my dreams would once again be full of the woman next door.

The woman I was quickly falling in love with.


	22. Chapter 22

**Bella's POV**

Edward knocked on my apartment door a few minutes after I closed up the shop. It was Friday, and my first Cullen family dinner was tonight. Needless to say, I was kind of nervous. I was glad he'd asked if I would go over with him instead of having to drive myself; that was one less thing to worry about.

"Hi," I said, smiling brightly when I opened the door for him.

With one arm carrying a large paper sack, he leaned over and brushed my cheek with a kiss as he walked into the apartment.

"Hey." He smiled, gesturing to the sack in his arms. "About ready to go?"

I nodded. "Lemme grab the cornbread."

He continued to talk as I walked to the kitchen. "I'm glad Rose asked if you could make that. Hers is always so dry, it's hideous."

I laughed when I came back into the living room and saw the disgusted look on his face.

"Not a problem. I learned how to make homemade cornbread a long time ago. It's really not that hard... Some cornmeal, eggs, milk, Monterey Jack cheese, creamed corn, and green chiles. The recipe doesn't call for it, but I add a little bit of sugar, too. It adds just the touch of sweetness I think it needs."

His stomach growled loudly, and a hint of red spread across his cheeks. He chuckled. "Uh, it sounds great."

We headed outside and down to Edward's Volvo. The two pans of cornbread, his sack of beer, and the wine went into the back seat, and then he held my door as I climbed in the front. We talked about our days while Edward made the short drive to Rose and Emmett's house.

He pulled up to the curb in front of a large, two-story house made from bricks in several shades of gray. I spent several moments in awe, taking in every detail I could. The shutters around the multitude of windows were white, and there were two large, white garage doors on the right side of the house. There was a large, freshly cut lawn leading up to a medium-sized front porch, which had several large, pretty planters of flowers scattered around it.

The double doors were a pretty, light-colored wood, with large, patterned glass oval inserts in the middle. The door was highlighted by a two-story archway and an arched window above the door. I could see a beautiful glass chandelier through the window.

"Wow," I whispered in an awed voice.

Edward grinned. "Yeah, Rose does like her creature comforts. Emmett was just happy to have a media room. They had a separate garage built at the back of the property to use when they actually work on cars here at home. That frees up the attached garage for Emmett's Jeep and Rose's BMW."

We grabbed the stuff from the back seat, and then Edward took my hand as we walked up the cobblestone pathway to the front door.

I could hear the dogs barking from inside the house.

Emmett's booming voice called out, "Come in, dude," when Edward knocked.

The moment we walked in, there was a squeal and a blur as Alice threw herself at me.

"Bella! It's so good to see you again. I know we've talked a few times on the phone, but it's better to see you in person. How are you doing? How's the store?"

I was glad Edward had taken the cornbread from my hands just before the little pixie hit. If I'd still been holding it, the force of her hug might've knocked it out of my hands.

"Alice," Rose laughed as she walked into the entry hall, "quit hugging the poor girl so tightly. Like all humans, she needs to breathe!" She took the cornbread from Edward and smiled at me. "Hi, Bella. Thanks for coming."

Alice released me from the tight hug and then took my hand. "Come into the kitchen with us," she said cheerfully. "Edward, bring in the sack and then go find the guys. They're in the living room playing Dead or Alive."

"Yeah, man, come help me kick Jasper's ass," Emmett crowed as Jasper let out a disgusted moan.

"You'll be okay with the girls?" Edward asked me.

I laughed. "Of course. Go. Play. Have fun!"

He grinned. "Thanks."

Handing me the sack of alcohol, he gave me a quick kiss and then ran down the hall to the living room. There was a crash, some cursing, and a loud laugh.

"Men," Rose huffed, rolling her eyes. "Come on, let's go sit and talk while I finish cooking."

Alice and I followed Rose to the kitchen and settled onto two of the tall bar stools at the island.

"What a great kitchen," I told Rose as I looked around the large space.

There were dark cherry cabinets, dark granite counters, and stainless steel appliances, including a double oven, huge refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave. The island was massive and had the sink and dishwasher on the side opposite the four stools.

"Thanks." She smiled. "The kitchen was what I fell in love with first."

I looked around again. "I can see why. What a fantastic space to cook in."

Rose nodded in agreement and then was back to business. "Okay, I just have to finish chopping up stuff for the salad. The enchiladas should be done in about fifteen minutes."

She grabbed the knife from the cutting board and began work on the tomato sitting beside it.

"How are things at the store?" Alice asked me.

"They're good, thanks. Busy." I laughed.

"And things between you and Edward?" Rose smirked.

I felt my face heat up and knew my cheeks were pink with a blush. "Umm, they're good. We've spent every evening together this week."

I watched as they looked at each other, raised their eyebrows, and grinned before looking back at me.

"Oh reeeealy?" Alice teased. She somehow managed to stretch out the word for several seconds.

Nodding, I looked around. "Can the guys hear me?" I whispered.

"Not if you talk quietly, no," Rose answered. "Why?"

"I, uh, need some advice."

"Go on," Rose prompted when I was silent for several minutes.

"Bella, you can trust us. We won't say anything to the guys," Alice said softly, putting a hand on my arm.

"I know," I sighed. "It's not that. It's just..." I paused again. "I'm not sure how to say what's in my head."

"Just say it, Bella," Rose said, laughing quietly. "Believe me, you can't tell us anything that would shock us. Between the two of us, we've done everything you could imagine," she teased.

I looked down at my hands and then mumbled quickly, "I'm worried Edward thinks I'm a slut."

The kitchen was still, so quiet I could've heard a pin drop.

Finally, Rose asked, "A slut? Why?"

"What did my brother do?" Alice hissed, beginning to step down from her stool. "I'll beat him senseless if he did something to make you feel that way!"

I quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto the seat.

"No! Oh, geez, this is so embarrassing." I shook my head. "It's not him, really, it's me. We've...gotten close this week. And I can't stop wanting him."

"Gotten close?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "You mean had sex?"

I shook my head. "No, we haven't gone that far. Yet. Lots of kissing, touching, that sort of thing. I'm just worried he'll think badly of me for wanting him as much as I do. Anyway, I don't want him thinking I'm a slut because things are moving kind of quickly, but I'm worried because I don't think I'm ready to actually go all the way, either."

Alice grinned. "Bella, Edward hasn't had a serious girlfriend since high school."

She couldn't have surprised me more if she'd tried. I must've shown my shock, because she put a hand on my arm, giving a calming pat.

"Not even in college. He dated, but honestly, I'm not sure he's even had sex since Tanya screwed him over his senior year of high school. I highly doubt he's worried at all about how much you want him."

_Tanya?_ I wondered what the story was there, but I knew he'd tell me when he was ready.

"More than likely, he's worried about wanting you too much and scaring you off by moving too quickly," Rose added. "Just do what feels right, _when_ it feels right."

"And talk to Edward, Bella," Alice said. "Really. Like Rose said, he's probably feeling worried too and doesn't know how to bring it up."

I sighed with a little relief. "So you guys don't think we're moving too fast? I mean, we haven't known each other for that long, but it just feels...right, being with him."

They laughed. "Bella, we haven't seen Edward this happy—_ever_. If you think he's the right person for you, then don't let time be the deciding factor," Rose said seriously.

Alice nodded. "It's a corny saying, but it's true: the heart wants what the heart wants. Take Jazzy and me, for instance. I knew the moment I saw him that he was it for me. We were together like that two weeks after we met."

Rose snorted as she began pulling the food out of the oven. "I'm fast, I'll admit it. First date for Em and me, our freshman year of high school."

I smiled. "Awww, high school sweethearts."

We all jumped as Emmett laughed. "That's my girl," he said, carefully hugging Rose from behind so she didn't drop the pan of enchiladas.

"Everything okay in here?" Edward breathed into my ear.

I turned in his arms and smiled. "Yes. Did you win?"

"Hell, no, I kicked his ass." Jasper grinned.

"Oh, please, you didn't kick my ass," Edward groaned. "You beat me by a point."

"Poor baby," I teased.

I ran my hands through his messy hair, scratching his scalp lightly with my nails. He shuddered under my touch and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Bella, if you don't stop, I'm gonna haul you off to one of the spare bedrooms..."

I grinned and kissed him softly. "Better not. I think your sister and Rose would kill you for dragging me off from my first dinner here."

"Get off your woman and help me set the table," Emmett interrupted.

"Yeah, make yourself useful and fill the cups up, man." Jasper handed Edward three empty glasses, forcing Edward away from me.

A few minutes later, all six of us were sitting around the large table, talking while we ate Rose's chicken enchiladas, Mexican rice, and salad along with my cornbread.

Alice waited until there was a lull in the conversation and then spoke up so everyone could hear. "Jazz and I have news." She looked at Jasper, who smiled and nodded. When we were all focused on her, she continued, "We found a house! We close in two weeks, just before we move down here."

We all congratulated the couple. Rose and I moved to hug Alice, while Emmett and Edward clapped Jasper on the shoulder and back.

"How far from us?" Rose asked after we were all sitting back in our seats.

Alice grinned. "About two blocks, toward Edward's and Bella's places."

"That's great, Alice," I said warmly. "Tell us about it! Do you have pictures?"

She nodded. "I'll show you pictures after we eat. It's a cute little country house with a great covered front porch. There's a two-story entry, a huge great room, and a beautiful kitchen with a breakfast nook. I'll have my own huge, walk-in closet, too."

"That was her number one request," Jasper said seriously.

Alice laughed. "It's true. It's got a nice spare room I can turn into my design room and office. The bathroom's beautiful too, with a separate shower, huge tub with a large picture window to the side, and great skylights."

"The great room will be perfect for the big screen I'm gonna buy," Jasper drawled.

Emmett and Edward high-fived, getting eye rolls and laughter from Rose and me.

"Anyway, it's got three bedrooms and three bathrooms," Alice finished with a laugh. "It's beautiful."

We finished eating, talking more about the new house and about my week at the store. When everyone was stuffed, the guys shooed us out of the kitchen so they could do the dishes.

"Come on, ladies. I feel the need to play some Halo. Bella, do you play?"

"I've never played Halo, but I'm a fast learner," I said, grinning when Edward's head spun around and he raised his eyebrows.

I followed Rose and Alice from the kitchen, pausing only long enough to give him a quick kiss as he stood elbow-deep in dishwater.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I waited until I heard the game going full-force before voicing my thoughts to Emmett and Jasper.

"So, uh, I need some advice," I mumbled, already bracing myself for the comments I was sure were coming.

"Dude, the boy part goes into the girl part. It's not that hard!" Emmett cackled as he cleared the dining table.

"Or is _that_ the problem?" Jasper grinned. "Is it not hard enough?"

Mr. Funnyman took the plate I'd washed and began drying it as Emmett continued laughing.

"For God's sake, keep your voices down," I hissed, rolling my eyes. "I'd really prefer if Bella and your women didn't overhear this conversation."

They stopped clearing the table and drying the clean dishes and just stood, looking at me.

"Wow, you were serious," Emmett said quietly.

I nodded. "Very."

We started working again while I gathered my thoughts. I told them about the last week I'd spent with Bella.

"So, yeah, it's like when we're together, I completely forget we've only known each other for less than two weeks. I want more with her. I wanna take it to the next level. Not tonight, really, but I know it's heading that way. What if she thinks I'm rushing it?"

"Man, the only advice I can give you is just to talk to your woman. Those are all things you need to talk about together," Jasper said as he took the next glass from me.

"Seriously, bro, if you're having these thoughts, you gotta think Bella is having similar ones herself. Man up, Eddie, and just talk to her."

Such wise words from my grizzly bear of a brother. I smirked inwardly.

Clearing my throat, I thanked them both. "I appreciate the advice. I'll talk to her."

After clearing off the table and putting the food away, Emmett decided the time for seriousness was over. He walked over to the sink, grabbed the sprayer while Jasper wasn't looking, and sprayed cold water right at Jasper's chest, soaking his T-shirt. Jasper screamed like a little girl and then dipped his hand into the sink of dishwater and threw a handful at Emmett. I managed to avoid getting wet by stepping out of the way right at the perfect moment.

"If you dipshits make a mess, you have to clean it up," Rose bellowed from the living room.

I glared. "Come on, guys, I wanna go sit with Bella and play some Xbox. Play on your own time."

A few splashes and ten minutes later, I was snuggled up behind Bella on the couch.

"Having fun?" I asked as I nuzzled her neck.

She nodded and turned away from the game long enough to kiss me before turning back in time to knock Alice's Pikachu out using her Mario character.

Bella and the others continued to play, going through a handful of games while I sat and watched her. It was like I couldn't stop touching her: my hand glided over the smooth skin of her arm, up to her shoulder, and then up her neck until my fingers combed through her hair. Every so often, I felt her shiver under my touch, and it gave me a thrill to know I could affect her.

Bella leaned back against my chest, relaxing as she played. When her character wasn't involved, her hand found mine. The fingers of one hand traced circles on my palm, while the other rubbed gently up and down my jean-clad thigh. When she had to pick up her controller and battle Emmett, I slid my arm around her waist and settled my hand on her stomach underneath her shirt. My fingers drew the letters of her name on the soft skin, dipping into her navel occasionally to tickle her.

We stayed for a few more minutes, and then I pressed a kiss to the back of Bella's neck and asked, "Ready to go?"

She set the controller on the coffee table and stretched. "Yeah." She smiled over at my family. "Thank you for having me over and for such a great dinner, Rose. It was good to see you all."

Emmett paused the game and everyone stood. "Let's go dancing tomorrow, Bells! I'll give Eddie the details, okay?"

"Sounds good, Emmett."

I said goodbye to the guys, gave the ladies kisses on the cheek, and then once Bella had hugged them, I took her hand and led her to the car. I'd relaxed after my conversation with the guys, but now that we were alone again, my nerves came back full-force.

When we pulled up to the apartments, Bella asked quietly, "Wanna come in for a while?"

I took a deep breath and smiled. "That would be great."

I held her hand until we got to her door and then followed her inside. We settled onto the couch, and I turned to face her, holding her hand once again.

"Bella—"

"Edward—"

"Sorry, you go first," I told her softly.

She nodded. "I think we need to talk."

I swallowed hard and tried to smile. "I was just gonna say that." I paused before continuing. "Do you wanna go first?"

She nodded once.

We sat quietly for a moment, just casually facing each other. I took her hand in mine, rubbing it gently until she began speaking.

She looked down at her lap and asked quietly, "Do you think I'm a slut?"

Her whispered words made my heart stop.

"Bella, what—" I had to swallow before I could go on. "What in the hell would make you think that?"

When she didn't look up, I gently took my finger and tilted her face up with a finger to her chin. Tears pooled in her huge, luminous eyes, uncertainty and fear flashing like a big neon sign.

"Oh, Bella," I breathed. I dragged her onto my lap and pressed my lips to her temple. "Never, love. I could never think such a thing! Why would that thought even cross your mind?"

"I...I think to make you understand, I have to tell you a bit more about my past."

I waited, letting her speak at her own pace.

"It was my first year of college. I met this guy named James at a party. I'd been too busy in high school to do any dating, so he was my first boyfriend. It sounds stupid now, of course, but I was young and naive."

When she paused, I rubbed her back soothingly and urged, "Go on."

"At first, he just seemed a little jealous. I was kind of happy—I thought he had to love me an awful lot to be that possessive. If he thought that many other guys were interested in me, he must've thought I was 'hot stuff.'

"A couple of months into the relationship, I was at the library studying with a few people from one of my classes. Our study group began breaking up around nine, and one by one, people left the library. The last person there, besides me, was a guy—Todd, I think was his name. James showed up to pick me up, saw me with Todd, and went crazy."

"Did he hurt you?" My voice was low, with a sharp edge to the words.

She looked down again. "He slapped me. Oh, he apologized after, and like an idiot, I forgave him." She seemed to shake herself out of it and said, "I know now, of course, that none of what he did to me was right. Even if I'd done something to make him jealous, he had no right to treat me like he did.

"Anyway, after that night, he didn't hit me again for a while. Mainly, it turned to verbal and mental abuse," she said, flinching, as if the memory itself caused her physical pain. "I heard from a friend that he was seen at a party with a junior named Chelsea, a vindictive bitch who was infamous for getting between couples on campus and breaking up their relationship. I began trying my hardest to get his interest back on me."

She'd begun to shake, so I pulled her against my chest and rubbed her back again. "Shh, Bella. I'm right here."

She took a deep breath before continuing. "When he came to my dorm room, I would meet him at the door wearing nothing. I started offering myself up for sex every chance I could get him alone. He gave me the new nickname of Slut. It was always things like, 'Hey, Slut, I have a party tonight, so I can't come over.' He would introduce me to friends like, 'This is my girlfriend, Bella.' Then, under his breath to me, he would tell me, 'Say hi, Slut.'"

"Oh, Bella," I murmured softly, my heart breaking at her painful memories.

"About eight months after we started dating, James came to my dorm room after he'd been to a party, and he was completely trashed. Finals were only weeks away, so I was trying hard to study. I made the mistake of telling him I wasn't in the mood when he tried to get me to go to bed with him."

I took a deep breath, not liking at all where the story was headed, but I kept my emotions under a tight control.

"He beat me. Badly."

"Christ, Bella," I said harshly. "How badly were you hurt?"

"I had two broken ribs, a black eye, and a strained shoulder. The worst was my broken leg, though. He hit my face, which was how I got the black eye, and held my arm as I fell to the ground, which was how my shoulder got hurt. Then he kicked me, over and over again. I thought he was never gonna stop. He broke my ribs and ended up stomping on my leg, which broke the bones down near my ankle. At one point, I tried to hit him with my arm, and he bit me." She turned her arm over and pointed at the small scars near her wrist. I could barely make out the spots where a few of his teeth had left permanent marks.

She was staring at the wall, her face blank and emotionless. She spoke quickly in monotone, like she was reciting a case study instead of what personally had happened to her. The pain of the situation was still fresh; I wanted to rage against the man who had hurt her.

"Angela lived in the room next door. She and Ben, who'd been over studying, heard my cries and screams. Ben ran in and started pulling James off me, while Angela went and got the RA. Several other guys visiting on our floor heard the commotion and helped Ben pull James off and then overpowered him until the cops showed up."

She took a deep breath and finally looked back up at me.

At this time, more than ever, I wanted her to feel safe. She had nothing to fear; I wouldn't let this get to her. I gave her a small smile, brushing my finger softly down cheek as I asked, "What happened next, Bella?"

"The RA called the police when she came in and saw me on the floor. Several of the girls had tried to get me onto the bed, but I was in too much pain to move. An ambulance showed up at the same time as the police. I pressed charges, and he went to jail. It was his first offense, so he didn't spend very long inside. I was just extremely lucky he decided to obey the restraining order I'd gotten against him, and he never bothered me again."

"What happened to him after?"

She shuddered perceptively. "Two years later, I read in the paper that he'd been arrested for rape. That wasn't his first time, apparently. Just the first time he'd been caught. After his arrest, three more young women came forward and said he'd raped them, too. He was charged with their rapes as well and is still in prison."

I knew I had to keep my temper under control; if I lost it now, all I would succeed in doing was scaring Bella, and I knew she didn't need that from me. I took a long moment to gather my thoughts and then drew her head up so I could look her in the eyes as I spoke.

"Bella, love, you're an amazing woman. You grew to be a strong, mature, loving adult. You're beautiful, funny, and smart. You're also incredibly sexy and desirable. Believe me when I tell you that I could never think you were a slut. It makes me feel incredible to know you want me as much as I want you."

"I do," she murmured. "It seems strange, wanting you this much, because we've only known each other a short while, but I do. When I feel your hands on me, everything else disappears. I can't think; I can only feel. Deep down inside, having your hands, your lips, on me, feels right. I can't explain it. You dazzle me, Edward Cullen," she admitted with a smile.

I brushed my lips across hers softly. "I'm very happy to hear that. I don't think it's a surprise that I want you. However, I don't wanna push you. I don't think either of us is quite ready to make love. Do you?"

She shook her head.

"That doesn't mean I think we should slow down, though. I'm quite happy with the speed we're going, as long as you're happy, too."

She nodded, smiling softly, and then sighed. "Thanks for listening, Edward. I haven't talked about that with anyone for years."

"Anytime." I smiled, squeezing her in a gentle hug. I looked at my watch. "I guess I should get going so you can get some sleep."

"Could you just hold me for a while?" she asked quietly, her body tensing. "I'll probably have nightmares tonight. I stopped having them years ago, but talking about it all may bring them back. I think I'd feel better just being in your arms for a little longer."

"Of course. Anything you need, okay?"

"Thanks." She sighed, snuggling down on my lap and resting her head on my shoulder. "Would you turn on some quiet music, please?"

I leaned forward, holding Bella to me with one arm, and grabbed the stereo remote from the table. I clicked it on and scanned through to the station that played classical music. After setting the volume on low, I set the remote back on the table.

Never letting go of the emotionally exhausted woman in my lap, I turned us both so we were lying on the couch on our sides. I was spooning Bella from behind, with one arm under our heads and the other wrapped around her waist, my hand stroking her belly softly.

It wasn't long before I felt her breathing even out. I was so comfortable, and it felt so right, I didn't dare move. I had plenty of time to let her sleep before I really needed to head home to bed myself.

I lay there in the almost dark room, listening to the music and Bella's deep, peaceful breathing. The last clear thought I had before my eyes drifted closed was that I really should carry Bella to bed so I could go home.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

I woke up to a loud, insistent buzzing noise, unsure of where I was for a moment. That moment was all it took for the events of last night to come rushing back in one full swoop.

Dinner with Edward's siblings.

The talk with the girls.

The talk with Edward.

James.

It was then I realized that Edward and I had spent the entire night sleeping beside each other on my couch.

Edward must have heard the alarm and felt me stir, because he suddenly mumbled in a sleepy voice, "Morning, Bella."

"Umm, good morning." I tried to get up, but his arm was anchored around my waist and our legs were tangled together. "I need to get up, Edward. I have to go turn off my alarm."

There was a pull and a push on my body, and I suddenly found myself flipped around so I was looking directly into his beautiful green eyes.

"The alarm can wait a minute," he whispered, leaning toward me.

My eyes fluttered closed as his lips brushed mine, tentatively first and then growing bolder as I began to kiss him back.

Morning breath or no morning breath, the man could kiss. He pulled my lower lip into his mouth and nibbled gently before soothing it with his tongue. As we kissed, my hands moved to tangle in his messy, sleep-tousled hair, and I pulled him closer against me. I was very aware of the erection in the front of his jeans as it pressed against me through my own clothes.

We kissed for several long minutes until I reluctantly pulled away, breathing heavily.

"As much as I would love to continue this, we both have to get ready for work. You close at two o'clock, right?" I asked softly, tracing his bowed lips with the tip of my finger.

He sighed and then smiled. "Yes, two o'clock. You as well?" When I nodded, he asked, "I didn't get a chance to ask you last night, but would you like to go dancing with the gang tonight? Emmett threw the idea out last night before we left, but we didn't really make any plans."

I kissed him once more and nodded. "That would be fun. I haven't been out dancing very often—remember, I don't have a lot of natural rhythm—but I seem to recall enjoying dancing with you very much." I smirked.

He ground his hips against mine and laughed when my eyes closed in want. "Trust me, you'll enjoy it very much again tonight."

He helped me sit up and then stood and pulled me to my feet. I walked him to the door and wrapped my arms around him.

"Thank you for last night," I said with my face buried in his chest.

He pulled away enough to look down into my eyes and smiled. "No need to thank me. I'm glad you trusted me enough to let me in. Besides, sleeping curled up around you was no hardship." He winked.

I laughed and kissed him quickly. "Go. I need to grab a shower and get ready to open the store."

"See you after the stores close today? I can't come over before then, as Sasha has the day off."

"That would be great," I answered, smiling. "See you then."

He kissed me once more and then let himself out, closing the door behind him.

I grinned the entire way to the bedroom to shut off the blaring alarm and then all the way into the bathroom. Hopefully, the day would go by quickly, because I knew for certain that I would enjoy whatever tonight brought.


	23. Chapter 23

**Bella's POV**

"Hi, Welcome to Bella's..." I began as the chime over the door rang, my voice trailing off when I looked up to see Alice and Rose walk into the store, their arms loaded with bags. "Hey! What are you guys doing here?" I asked with a smile on my face.

They walked past the few customers I had left in the shop, straight into my office behind me.

"You are getting ready to close up, right?" Alice asked. I nodded, and she continued, "We brought everything we'll need for tonight."

I groaned. "Not Bella Barbie," I whined playfully.

"Oh, yeah." Rose chuckled, holding up some of the bags in her hands. "She even brought all the makeup and hair stuff she'll need to work on you."

_Oh goody,_ I thought sarcastically as I finished checking out my last customer. Still, I knew it was with the best of intentions, and if it made me look sexier, then I supposed it would be worth it.

"Thank you! Have a nice evening, Mrs. Cooke, and please come back soon," I told her, smiling.

The woman, now a regular and familiar customer, smiled and waved before leaving the store. I followed behind her, locked the door, and turned the little sign to Closed. Just then, my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID.

Edward.

"Hi!" I answered cheerfully.

"Hey." I could hear the smile in his voice, and it made me smile in return. "Closing up shop?"

I nodded before I stupidly realized he couldn't see me. "Yes, just locked the doors. Alice and Rose are over. Save me from being Bella Barbie, please!" I said teasingly.

He chuckled. "I would if I could, but Emmett and Jasper are keeping me prisoner." He paused, and I heard yelling in the background. "Sorry, love, I need to go. I need to kick my brother's ass."

I laughed. "What'd he do?"

"The usual sh—"

"Hey, Bella bear!" I heard in the background. "Sorry, Eddie boy's gotta go! He'll see you later," Emmett yelled loudly.

I heard Edward sigh. "If I don't get off the phone, it'll get more and more ridiculous. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Call me if you really need rescuing, and I'll try to—"

Suddenly, I heard a click and then...nothing. I hung up my phone, laughing as I walked into my office after grabbing the drawer from the register.

"I think Emmett stole Edward's phone."

Rose rolled her eyes. "He's in a mood. Been a while since we went dancing, so I think he's just excited."

"Anyway, time to go upstairs," Alice chirped, picking up some of the bags and handing one to me. "Lead the way!"

I locked the office door and then led the way upstairs to my apartment.

~*~CIBD~*~

Almost three hours later, the three of us were primped to within an inch of our lives and ready to go out. The guys had gone and picked up Subway for dinner, and Jasper had brought it over a couple of hours ago. Alice had refused to let Edward do it because she didn't want him seeing me before the club. I'd argued that it wasn't our wedding day, to which there had been squeals that I'd even _thought_ of that. Unfortunately, she'd still refused to budge. After delivering our dinner, the guys had gone over to Rose and Emmett's to get ready.

"Alice," I sighed as she took one more long look at my makeup and hair. "I'm as ready as I'm gonna get. Can we call the guys now, please?"

She laughed and nodded at Rose, who pulled her phone from the clutch strapped to her wrist. "I suppose. You look hot, Bella! My brother isn't gonna know what hit 'im."

I blushed at the attention, but secretly, I had high hopes that she was right.

"Okay, they'll meet us there," Rose said.

"Let's boogie," Alice called, making her way to the door. She held up a keyring with two keys danging from it. "Edward gave me his keys, and we're supposed to take his car."

We piled into Edward's Volvo, which was silver and a year or two older than my own. When Rose started to climb into the back seat, I offered to sit in the back, since I was shorter than she was by quite a bit.

Rose smiled. "Thanks. I've ridden back there before. It's all good." Then she slid into the back, smooth as she could possibly have done it.

After Alice backed away from the curb, I asked, "By the way, where are we going?"

"Eclipse," Rose answered. "It's a hot new club here in town; some friends of ours opened it a few months ago. We've only been once, but it's already quite popular. People come all the way from Seattle to dance and drink." She laughed, shaking her head. "The hotel business has really picked up too, since a lot of people drink and can't drive home."

"Did anyone call Alec and Jane to let them know we were coming tonight?" Alice asked.

Rose said, "Not me, but eh, it won't matter. Felix and Demetri know to let us in when we get there."

I turned in my seat to look at her. "Alec and Jane? Felix and Demetri?"

She chuckled. "Alec and Jane are the brother and sister who own the club. We went to school with them. Demetri is the head of security, and Felix is the head bouncer."

"Oh, Bella! You have to try Jane's famous drink, the Screaming Vampire. She tends bar sometimes when needed and loves to come up with new drinks for the club," Alice said.

"Screaming Vampire?" I gulped. I was kind of a lightweight when it came to hard alcohol, so the name alone kind of frightened me.

"Yeah, some Sparks malt, Skyy vodka, orange juice, and a drop of red food coloring." Alice laughed. "It's not great, but it looks cool."

I shook my head at the thought and then sat back to watch the scenery pass by.

Just five minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of a nondescript, brick building. There was a small sign on the wall over the door, showing that we were indeed in the right place. A line of people stretched about halfway down the block, and the moment I stepped out of the car, I could hear the sounds of "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas.

Emmett pulled in beside us in Rose's BMW. Jasper got out of the front seat, and then Edward climbed out of the back.

When I stepped out of his Volvo, Edward stared openly. His eyes glazed over as his jaw dropped. I was sure mine mirrored his.

"You look..." I stammered, hardly able to form coherent words. "Wow," I breathed.

He looked amazing. He was gorgeous in his black slacks and black, button-up, long-sleeved dress shirt. There were three buttons undone at the top, and the sleeves were unbuttoned and rolled up, revealing strong, muscular forearms. In fact, the overall effect was nearly mind-blowingly sexy.

Edward smirked as he watched me try to speak clearly, and then he smiled. "Trust me, love. The feeling's mutual. You look stunning in that blue."

He took my hand and spun me around slowly, taking in the complete outfit. Alice had decided I didn't have anything appropriate in my closet for going out tonight. She'd bought me a dress, shoes, and was loaning me a matching clutch to carry the essentials.

The black and dark blue patterned dress had an asymmetric hem, a fitted waist, and a flowing skirt. The top of the dress was made of two pieces of fabric that came up over my breasts and crisscrossed in front to tie at the back of my neck. It left a good amount of cleavage showing, and because my breasts were still nice and firm, I could go without a bra easily.

The blue suede pumps with open toe and back zip matched the dress perfectly. I was a bit leery of the three-inch heels, but she swore they were comfortable and the high sides and wide ankle strap would provide plenty of stability to dance. She'd been right about the comfort, but I was still wary of how easily I would be able to dance with them on.

A simple black clutch with silver glitter and wrist strap completed my outfit. My hair was styled simply, and Alice had done my makeup so most of the focus was on my eyes and lips. I knew she'd made me look pretty damn hot, but I was anxious to know what Edward thought.

"You like?" I asked shyly.

"Stunning, Bella," he finally said. "Absolutely, positively sexy. Right now, I'm _glad_ I can't read minds, because I'd have to kill every man who dares to look at you tonight."

"C'mon, you guys," Alice called, taking Jasper's arm. "I wanna dance!"

I started walking toward the end of the line, but Edward took my hand and pulled me in the other direction.

He smiled. "Trust me."

We got to the front of the line and were immediately greeted by the large, dark-haired guy manning the door. The big grin he gave the others in our group seemed at odds with his size and posture, his arms folded across his chest.

"Hey, if it isn't one of my favorite groups of people! Welcome back. Who's this beautiful young lady?" he asked, looking at me.

Edward dropped my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me tightly against his side.

"This is my girlfriend, Bella Swan," he told the man. "Bella, this is Felix."

I smiled timidly. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, honey. You guys go right in. Jane's behind the bar tonight. Alec and Demetri are around someplace." He lifted the rope, and the six of us scooted past the front of the line, into the club.

The music got quite a bit louder as we walked through the door. The dance floor was crowded with people, and most of the tables around the floor were filled. The bar was busy, with a cute guy around our age on one end pouring drinks, and a tiny, almost child-like woman on the other.

"Yo, Jane," Emmett called, loud enough to be heard over the music and crush of people.

The woman looked up and smiled, looking surprised to see the Cullens standing there.

"Hi, guys! Want the usual? Oh, who's your friend?" she asked Edward.

"Jane, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is Jane. Yeah, Jane, the usual. Including six vampires, please. We'll find a table."

"Nice to meet you, Bella. What else would you like to drink?"

I thought for a moment. "I'll have a Fuzzy Navel, thanks. Good to meet you, too."

Edward spun us around, and we followed Alice to an empty booth in the back corner. Emmett slid in first, with Rose beside him. Jasper went next, and Alice climbed onto his lap. Finally, Edward sat down and pulled me onto his lap. We watched the crowds dance as we waited for our drinks.

Several minutes later, Jane walked up with a tray full of drinks. She set the tray on the edge of the table and began handing out shot glasses full of the red shots.

"Okay, six shots. Pass 'em around." She waited until all six were in front of us and then grabbed the beer. "Beer for the men. Alice, here's your Spoiled Wench, a Sex on the Beach for Rose, and Bella, your Fuzzy Navel."

"Wow, your drinks sound much more interesting than mine," I mumbled, looking around the table.

"That's okay, Bella..." Alice winked. "We'll get you a Piece of Ass later."

I blushed as Edward chuckled behind me. He leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "If you need a piece of ass, Bella, I'll definitely volunteer."

His quiet words, breathed across the shell of my ear, sent shivers down my spine, and I felt my face grow even warmer.

"Let me know if you need anything," Jane said and then grinned before picking up the empty tray and moving back across the floor towards the bar.

"Okay, on the count of three, everyone down the shot," Alice trilled.

Edward scooted mine closer to me, and we both picked up our shots. As soon as Alice counted to three, I tilted the little glass all the way back and drained the drink quickly.

"Oh, shit, that's nasty," I cried softly.

The rest of the group laughed.

"I told you, it's not great, but it looked cool!" Alice smirked.

We sat for a few minutes, listening to the music and drinking, until Rose finally said, "Come on, babe, let's dance." She shoved at Emmett's shoulder to move him out of her way.

Emmett drained the rest of his beer and slid out of the booth, holding his hand out for Rose, who took it and stood, following behind him out on to the floor. Alice and Jasper quickly followed them, leaving only Edward and me at the table.

"Dance with me?" he asked softly in my ear.

I nodded and moved from his lap to stand beside the table. Edward flipped up the Reserved sign Jane had brought with the drinks so no one would grab our table and then stood up beside me. He held my hand and led me out to the dance floor. I was already nervous because of my teetering blue heels and my natural lack of coordination. Making matters worse, the music was a thumping club beat I knew I'd never danced to before. I sat in my car and sang along with that kind of music, but I didn't have a clue on how to dance to it.

"Are you sure you wanna dance to this?" I asked, hoping maybe he would want to sit this one out.

I looked over at the other couples with longing. They were dancing, draped on each other, looking so fluid and effortless. I truly wished I could do that, but I didn't see me succeeding, much less staying on my feet.

Edward turned and tugged me forward. I stumbled, landing against his chest and looking up at him. His eyes were twinkling with merriment. He'd planned that very move, I could tell.

"See, sweetheart? The farthest you're gonna fall is here," he murmured with a gentle smirk and a quirk of his eyebrow. "That's not too bad, is it?"

I smiled back at him. "I know. I'm just not a very good dancer."

"No, that's not true," he said, moving his hands to my shoulders. "You just haven't had the best partners. Poor leaders, poor dancing. It's all in the leading, remember?"

I smiled at him, feeling more graceful simply hearing what he said. He had that effect on me.

"Now, I have two extra things going for me. I happen to be a good leader," he said, smiling again, "and I _really_ wanna dance with you. So step closer and hold my hands."

I held his hands and began the same gentle step-touch rhythm he was doing. I felt I had the rhythm of the song down—I could feel the thrumming beat in my body. Edward moved his hands closer up the length of my forearms, stepping closer in intervals. Soon, my hands were resting on his shoulders, his were on my low back, and I was swaying with him.

He took a step even closer, his thigh coming to rest in between mine. Never losing the beat, I widened my stance, allowing him to come closer. I couldn't get close enough to him.

He leaned forward, his forehead nearly brushing against mine. I could feel his warm breath against my face, his strong hands holding my ass, his hard thigh pressed against my softness. The music pulsed, echoing the pulsing in my heart, my veins, my core.

At that moment, he closed the gap between us and caught my lips with his. The kiss was soft, but strong...and breathtakingly beautiful. I couldn't concentrate; I could only move to the crescendo of the music and be swept away by the heat of his kiss. The tips of my breasts rose, aching against the soft fabric of my dress. I wanted so much more from him.

He lifted his mouth from mine, and I whimpered from the loss. When he looked down at me, his were dark, hooded, and hot. He cupped my ass harder, moving me up higher onto his thigh. I was nearly lifted off the floor, resting, swaying against the hard muscle of his thigh.

"Oh, Bella," he breathed, capturing my mouth again.

He brought one hand up to my waist before slowly trailing up my ribcage to cup my breast. I didn't care that we were on a crowded dance floor; I needed to feel him squeeze me more than I needed breath.

His thumb brushed over my nipple, causing me to moan against his mouth. When he pinched the tip between his thumb and forefinger, I started to throb with an intensity I'd never felt before. I knew I was about to come; I was shaking, my breath coming in shuddering gasps.

Edward moved both hands to my bottom again and pushed me rhythmically against his thigh, never breaking the beat of the music, and I came, my head falling back with the intensity of the spasms overtaking me. I stood there, trembling in his arms. I could barely keep my eyes open.

Edward moved his thigh out from between mine and held me close to him, supporting me against his chest. "The music's stopped," he murmured against my hair.

I looked up, and he smiled down at me. He pretended to be nonchalant, but I could feel the heat and hardness of his cock pressing against my belly as he held me. I wasn't the only one who was turned on by our dancing.

Just then, I felt two hands grab my arms and tug me gently away from Edward. Alice's normally loud voice was as quiet as it could be and still be heard above the new song coming from the speakers.

"Bella, bathroom, now," she hissed.

Rose just chuckled from beside her as they led me away.

The girls pulled me into the bathroom. After making sure no one else was in there with us, Rose stood with her back against the door. She was going to prevent anyone else from coming inside, apparently.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. If I had to pick a word to describe the way I looked at the moment, it would be satisfied: my cheeks were flushed from the orgasm I'd had against Edward's thigh, my lips slightly swollen from his kisses, and my eyes were hooded with sexual satisfaction.

"Bella!" Alice laughed. "You do realize you just came against my brother's thigh in the middle of a crowded dance floor, right?"

Nodding mutely, I looked at Alice and Rose in the mirror before turning to face them. "Did, uh...did everyone see?" I felt my face heat.

Rose laughed. "Don't worry about it, Bella. We've all done that before. There were only a few people who noticed. Trust me, those that did see it happen couldn't care less."

"Promise?" I squeaked.

"I promise," Rose assured me. "Now come on. Let's go dance some more! We need to show the boys how it's done."

Alice squealed and grabbed my hand, leading me to the door when I hesitated. "We'll show you some of our favorite moves, Bella, don't worry!"

~*~CIBD~*~

An hour and a half later, my feet were beginning to hurt, but I was having the time of my life. The girls had indeed shown me their moves, and I'd danced and laughed with them before Edward had pulled me away to dance with him again. I'd ended up dancing with both Jasper and Emmett, and the lot of us had danced in a big group several times, too.

I was just about to tell Edward I needed a break, when Alice and Rose pulled their men over to us.

Alice shouted, "Shots! Jasper, come with me!"

We made our way back to our booth and slid in, much like we'd all been sitting before. I could still feel Edward's hard cock trapped between us as I sat on his lap. He groaned softly when I gave my hips a little extra wiggle to get comfortable.

"Bella, I will not be held responsible for my actions if you keep doing that. Be still," he whispered, his breath warm against my neck.

Several minutes later, Alice and Jasper slid into the booth across from us, with Alice on his lap. Alec followed not far behind with a tray full of little shot glasses. After introducing himself to me and saying hello to the rest of the group, he left the tray on the table and went back to help Jane behind the bar.

"Jesus, Alice," Emmett said loudly, snorting into a laugh. "How much are you planning on us drinking? There must be fifteen shots there!"

"There are three for each of us, except for you and Edward, since you're driving," Alice explained patiently. "You guys only get one."

Emmett shook his head. "So I was off by one. What'd you get?"

Alice smirked and looked directly at me before beginning to hand out the shots. "This is a Blow Job, Bella. It's got Bailey's Irish Cream and amaretto. It's one of Jasper's favorite shots."

We all laughed as Jasper nodded and winked at her. "Hell yeah, babe, you know I love a good Blow Job."

When I tossed back my own shot, I swallowed and thought for a moment. "Well, that was definitely better than the one earlier." A warm feeling was beginning to build low in my belly, and my head was getting a little fuzzy. I was feeling good. "Next, please!"

Everyone grinned as Alice gave out the next shot.

"This is a Slow Comfortable Screw," she explained. "Sloe gin, Southern Comfort, and orange juice."

I drank that one quickly and nodded. "That's good," I said, licking my lips. "It's good for you, too! It's got orange juice!"

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

Bella's next words sent a flash of lust from my ears to my cock, making me even harder than I already was.

"I love a slow, comfortable screw, Edward," she said as she turned toward me. She obviously meant to whisper the words, but the alcohol was beginning to have an effect.

My family hid their laughter behind their hands, barely concealing their amusement.

I nuzzled the spot beneath her ear and whispered, "I'll remember that, love."

We talked for a few minutes, letting the first two shots settle, and then Alice handed out the last shot.

"Bella, I chose this last one just for you," Alice teased. "A Screaming Orgasm."

I could tell Bella thought she should be embarrassed, but her inhibitions were definitely lowered by all the shots and the peach drink she'd had.

She grinned. "Damn straight. I like a screaming orgasm."

As soon as Bella downed her last shot, she collapsed back against me, relaxed and boneless. She was still awake, but clearly feeling no pain. Alice wasn't much better as she leaned against Jasper. Emmett and I were able to hold our liquor much better than Bella, who was a newbie to drinking, and Alice, who was just a tiny little thing. We hadn't had quite the amount they'd had, either.

I looked around the table and laughed. "I think it's time to go home. C'mon, Bella. Time to get the princess to bed."

She stayed slumped against me as I slid from the booth with her in my arms. We waved goodbye to Jane and Alec, and then I helped her walk, a little unsteadily, to the car.

The others piled into Rose's BMW, with Emmett behind the wheel, as I helped Bella into the passenger seat of my car. She waved when Emmett honked as he pulled away.

"I had fun," Bella mumbled, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes.

I smiled, reaching over to take her hand. "I did, too."

When I parked in front of the store, I climbed out and then went around to get Bella out. She was so relaxed and sleepy that she barely yelped when I scooped her into my arms to carry her up the stairs. With my help, she got her keys out of her little purse. Once I'd unlocked the door, I carried her into the bedroom, making a stop in the kitchen first. When I set her down, she was unsteady on her feet, so I gently pushed at her shoulder until she sat back on the bed.

"Stay there, love. I'm gonna find something for you to wear to sleep in," I said as I moved away.

I walked to the dresser and pulled out a T-shirt, which would work as pajamas.

"Edward," Bella whispered loudly. "I feel funny. My head is fuzzy."

Moving back to her quickly, I asked, "Do you feel sick, Bella?"

She shook her head. "Nope," she said, to my relief. "Just fuzzy. I'm all warm and fuzzy."

I chuckled. "That's good." I shook out two of the Tylenol and handed them and a glass of water to her. "Take these, and drink all the water. Hopefully, you shouldn't have a headache in the morning."

Bella swallowed the medicine, along with a big gulp of the water. Once she finished the entire cup, she handed it back to me. "Mmm, you take such good care of me, Edward. I love you," she said, her words slurring a bit.

Although I was stunned at her admission, I knew now was not the time to react to it. I simply smiled, kissed her cheek, and then said, "Let's get you changed now so you can get some sleep."

I carefully undressed her, enjoying the view as I removed her dress and bra. She raised her hands playfully as I slid the T-shirt on. Once she was re-dressed, I pulled off her shoes, moved her up on the bed, and tucked her into the covers.

By the time I brushed her hair away from her forehead, she was sound asleep, snoring softly.

Quietly, I wrote a quick note to tell Bella to call me when she woke up. I kissed her forehead and then left the apartment and stumbled home.

Bed was sounding pretty damn good at the moment. After kicking off my shoes, I sat heavily on the edge of the mattress.

Thoughts were swimming through my head. My Bella had said she loved me. Sure, she was floating in a sea of alcohol, but I believed she was clearheaded enough to know what she was saying. If she'd been completely sober, I doubt she'd have told me when or how she had, but just because her inhibitions were lowered, it didn't mean she wasn't telling the truth.

I ran my hand through my hair as I marveled at the thought of Bella really loving me as much as I loved her. The more I learned of her past, the more I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and shield her from all the hurt and pain this cruel world could cause. She was an incredibly strong, smart, and beautiful woman, and any man would be lucky to be the recipient of her love.

I only had one thought left in my head as I slid under the covers, my body and mind finally weary enough to sleep.

_Was I good enough to deserve her love?_


	24. Chapter 24

**Edward's POV**

As I waited for Sasha to get back from her lunch so I could take food over to Bella's, I thought about the last few days. It was Wednesday, and neither Bella nor I had brought up what had happened or anything that was said Saturday night.

"_Mmm, you take such good care of me, Edward. I love you."_

When she'd said she loved me, something in my chest had loosened. For the first time in a long time, I'd felt an almost overwhelming sense of rightness. Every day I spent with her, I realized that feeling just continued to grow. I'd talked to my mom a couple of days after that, and even she could tell how I felt about Bella.

~*~CIBD~*~

"_So, Edward, Alice told me about Bella," my mom said when she finished telling me about some of the children in the village where they were currently working._

_I rolled my eyes, glad she was unable to see me. "What about her?" I certainly wasn't going to give away any more than I had to yet. I didn't think I was quite ready for the wedding and baby planning there was sure to be if my feelings became known._

"_She said Bella's a lovely young woman. She sounds very smart, very dedicated, and very beautiful. Is that true?" she asked slyly._

_I smiled. "She is that and more, yes," I admitted. "She's funny, we have similar tastes in music and food, she gets along well with the group, and we just have a very good time every time we're together. I think you and Dad'll like her."_

"_You obviously really like her, son. Alice said she, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose all like her as well. I'm sure your father and I will love her. We should be home in a few weeks. I can't wait meet her."_

~*~CIBD~*~

We'd talked a bit more, and I'd promised to keep her updated on the status of our relationship. I'd come away from the conversation with only a couple of hints about the future, marriage, and children. I considered myself lucky.

The chime of the door pulled me from my musings, and I looked up to see Sasha walking in with a to-go cup and a carry-out bag from a local diner. "I'm back," she said, smiling. "You can take off now. Here's your order."

I took the bag from her and peeked inside, seeing the two large salads and two bottles of water I'd called in before Sasha left for lunch. "Thanks. I'll be back in an hour or so. Call me if you need me."

Nodding at a customer as I left the store, I quickly made my way next door to Bella's Books. When I walked in, Bella looked up and smiled.

"Hi," she said softly, coming around the counter to give me a kiss.

When she pulled away, I chanced a quick look around the store. Seeing that it was empty, I used my free hand to pull her back against me and pressed my lips to hers again. She melted against me, her hands resting against my chest and fisting my shirt to hold me to her as we kissed. The sound of a horn from a car going by made us pull apart slightly, both of us breathing heavily.

"Mmm, now that's the kind of greeting I like," I teased as Bella's cheeks flushed pink.

"I lose myself in you so easily," she murmured, smoothing my shirt from under her clinched fists.

"No more so than I in you," I assured her.

She smiled. "What's for lunch?"

We moved back to the office, leaving the door open so she could see and hear customers as they came into the store. I handed Bella her chicken Caesar salad and water, watching her smile as she saw the side container of ranch dressing instead of having the regular Caesar dressing on the salad itself.

"Just the way I like it. Thank you."

I acknowledged her thanks with a smile and nod and then opened my salad.

We began eating quietly, each of us making appreciative noises at the homemade taste of the salad.

A few minutes later, Bella set her fork down, took a drink of water, and then looked over at me. "You know, in all this time we've been, um, together, we've never really talked about your parents. Your dad's a doctor, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, when he's here in the States, he works in the ER. Right now, he and Mom are in Haiti with Doctors Without Borders. They've been there for almost six months and are scheduled to be home in a couple of weeks."

"Oh, I bet you guys are really excited about that! I'm sure it'll be good to have them home." When I nodded, she asked, "What about your mom? Does she work?" Before I could answer, she smirked, teasing, "Aside from parenting you three, I mean."

I chuckled. "According to her, that's a full-time job. No, really, she's an interior designer when she's not halfway around the world with my dad. She loves it. Always has. She doesn't have her own firm or anything. She just gets clients through word of mouth, but she likes it that way, since it frees her up to go with Dad when he chooses to go with DWB."

Smiling, I looked up at her. "They know about you. About us."

Bella's eyes widened. "What? Who told them? Why?"

I could tell she was surprised that she warranted a mention to my parents. "Well, Alice was very excited the last time she spoke with them, and I talked to my mom yesterday for the first time since you and I met. As to why... Bella, you are quickly becoming very important to me. I hope you know that. Why wouldn't I tell my parents about you?"

She blushed again, the pink color moving to cover her cheeks and down her neck as she nodded. "Please tell them hello and that I'm looking forward to meeting them." I wanted to shout with happiness when she said, "You're very important to me, too, Edward."

We were quiet for a moment, and then the topic turned lighter as she asked how my morning had gone at the store. We talked about nothing of consequence as we finished eating, and then after throwing away our lunch mess, I followed her back out to the counter.

"Bella, before I go back over, I wanted to ask, would you be interested in coming to Seattle this weekend with Emmett, Rose, and me to help pack up Jasper and Alice for the big move this weekend? Alice wanted to ask herself, but I convinced her to let me ask you."

She laughed. "Of course! It's the least I can do after you all showed up here to help me. Only if you'll let me have you guys over for dinner at my place Friday night. I'm assuming Alice and Jasper won't be up then, since they're moving on Saturday, right?" At my nod, she said, "Okay, then Friday evening, how about we grill steaks, corn, and baked potatoes out on the landing and eat in my apartment?"

"Sounds perfect," I told her honestly. "I'll let Emmett know." A customer came in then, reminding me I needed to get back to my own store. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled. "See you later? How about I pick up some Chinese, and we hang out at my place?"

She nodded. "Sounds good. I'll be over around six thirty. I need to run to the bank after I close."

I kissed her softly once more as her customer called out with a question and then waved goodbye as I left the store.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

As soon as I closed up the store, I quickly ran to the bank and made my deposit and then went back home to change. I washed my face to get rid of the work day's makeup and then added back on some tinted lip gloss and mascara. After looking through my closet, I decided on a pretty, but casual, blue top with flutter sleeves and a pair of black leggings. A pair of casual sandals completed the outfit.

Before leaving my apartment, I grabbed a DVD off the shelf by the TV and then locked the door behind me. It took but seconds to make my way across to Edward's door.

He opened the door within moments of my knock. As I caught my first glance of him, I felt like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs. Once again, I paused to admire what a gorgeous man Edward was. He stood in the doorway wearing a tight, faded, dark green T-shirt, softened with age, a pair of well-worn jeans slung low on his hips. He was barefoot, so I admired his perfectly shaped toes before trailing my eyes back up to his smirking face.

"Hi, love. Like what you see?"

I felt my face flush at having been caught staring, and he laughed.

Still a bit embarrassed, I tried to slide by him without saying a word, but he caught my arm and quickly pulled me against him. He slid one hand low on my back, holding me against his body, and tangled the other in my hair. He used that hand to tilt my head back gently, so I was forced to look up into his eyes. I watched as his lips descended to mine, and then my eyes drifted closed as he kissed me softly. By the time he pulled away, I was breathless again.

"Edward," I breathed, acutely aware of every point on our bodies that were touching.

He moved his hand from my hair to my cheek, trailing two fingers down my cheekbone to my chin before speaking. "You look great, too, Bella. That blue is beautiful against your skin. Come in, please."

As soon as he released me, I stepped farther inside, smiling when I saw what Edward had done to the living room. His coffee table was pushed off to the side, making room for a massive amount of pillows artfully arranged on the floor in front of the couch.

"What's all this?" I asked, my voice full of wonder. "Where in the world did you get all these pillows?"

There were at least fifteen pillows of all sizes piled around one another. I saw four huge body pillows, five or six normal bed pillows, and a bunch of smaller pillows scattered around. They were all sitting on top of a soft-looking blanket, and the whole set-up just looked incredibly inviting and comfortable. Not to mention completely romantic...

I tilted my head back and looked up at Edward when he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"You like? I borrowed quite a few of those from Rose and Emmett when I went to get the Chinese food. I thought we'd have a picnic on the floor, but I wanted you to be comfortable." It was his turn to look embarrassed. "If you'd rather, we can sit at the table or on the couch instead."

I turned in his arms, kissed him softly, and then shook my head. "No, please. This is perfect. Thank you."

I couldn't believe he'd gone to all that trouble. He was so sweet. Just as I was about to tell him so, my stomach let out a huge growl.

Edward laughed. "I guess we should eat now before something tries to jump out and attack me!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, bub, but feed me. It was a long afternoon, and I'm hungry!" I kicked my sandals off by the door and made my way farther into the room.

~*~CIBD~*~

Twenty minutes later, we were nestled amongst the pillows on the floor, feeding each other bites of the General Tso's and sesame chicken, as well as some really yummy ginger beef. After taking a drink of the Tsingtao Beer Edward had bought while he was out, I filled him in on some of my afternoon.

"I talked to Angela this afternoon on the phone during a bit of a lull at the store."

"Oh, I bet that was nice. How are she and Ben doing?" Edward asked.

I smiled. "They're good. Their jobs are going well. Angela just got a job at the Green Lake branch of the Seattle Public Library. She literally just has to walk three blocks to work right now. They found a house already and should close within the next few weeks."

Edward made an appreciative noise before speaking. "That's one of the things I wanna do in the next few years. I love living above my store, but I really wanna own a home. I'm thinking of buying a fixer-upper in the next year or so and making it perfect before I'm ready to move. Guess it all depends on what's going on in my life in a year." He shrugged and smiled at me. "How's Ben liking his new position?"

"Ang said he loves it. They've been out with the other guys in the office there and their wives or girlfriends a few times, and they seem like a nice bunch of people. She misses me and her other friends here, but she's enjoying Seattle so far."

"Did you mention we were gonna be in Seattle this weekend?" At my nod, he continued, "You should call and make plans to get together while we're up there. We can pack some in the morning and then meet them for lunch somewhere before finishing up and driving back down here."

"Really? I'd love that, Edward. It's only been a few weeks, but I really miss them. I've talked to Ang a couple of times every week, but it's not the same."

He tugged me closer so I was nestled at his side. "Of course, love. Besides, we all liked both Angela and Ben when we spent the day with them before they moved. Everyone'll be happy to see them, I promise."

I grinned and said, "Okay, then. I'll call her tomorrow and ask."

When we finished eating, Edward took our plates into the kitchen and came back out with two fresh beers and two fortune cookies.

"Here ya go. These are good, aren't they?" he asked, handing me the beer.

I took them both and nodded. "I've never had Tsingtao Beer, but it's very good." I held up my cookie and motioned to him. "You go first."

Edward set his beer down carefully beside him and broke open his cookie, pulling out the little white strip of paper. "Your smile will tell you what makes you feel good."

We looked at each other and, almost as one voice, said, "In bed!"

Laughter erupted from us both immediately. "You do that, too?" I asked him between bouts of giggles.

He nodded. "Emmett got me started on that years ago," he said, rolling his eyes. "Sometimes, it makes no sense, but then other times, you get one like this..."

"Exactly! It's scary how perfectly funny they fit sometimes." I cracked open my cookie and pulled out the paper. "Okay, my turn."

I read my fortune and felt my face flush, remembering a few nights before when I was missing Edward after I got into bed.

"Bella," Edward said in a teasing voice. "What does it say? It's gotta be good to have you turning that red!" He held out his hand. "Come on, love. Give it here."

I hid my face in my hand before blindly reaching out and dropping the little paper somewhere in the vicinity of his lap. I felt him move beside me, and when he sucked in a breath, I knew he'd read the fortune.

"Count your blessings by thinking of those whom you love"—his voice shook as he finished—"in bed. Oh..."

The temperature of the room suddenly shot up about thirty degrees, and I just knew I was the color of a tomato. I needed to lighten the mood, so I jumped up, careful not to spill my drink.

"So, umm, I brought a movie!"

Edward cleared his throat and then laughed. "Oh yeah? What'd you bring?"

"Don't make fun of me," I warned before holding up the DVD I'd picked up from beside his TV. "_Pearl Harbor_, with Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck."

"Kate Beckinsale, too. I haven't seen that movie in years. Alice used to be in love with Affleck, and Emmett always had the hots for Kate, so we watched it a bunch," Edward said, smiling.

"Well, I have to admit to having had a thing for Josh Hartnett myself for a while." I shrugged my shoulders. "He's cute, what can I say?"

I put the movie in and then brought the remote with me to settle back down on the pillows beside Edward.

"Cute, you say?" he questioned, leaning over and nuzzling my neck.

"Mmhmm." I nodded, tilting my head a bit. "Very." I squeaked as he nipped at my neck. "Okay, okay. Not as cute as you."

"Better," he said gruffly.

We lay together and watched the movie, snuggling and content. I was glad Edward didn't make fun of me at all when I cried at the sad parts.

When Danny finally made his move and took Evelyn flying, I felt Edward's lips pressing soft kisses to my shoulder. I shivered under his touch and moved my head to give him better access to my neck. As the sweet and romantic love scene in the movie continued, I realized my own was playing out in front of my eyes.

I turned so I was face to face with Edward. His piercing green eyes were now a dark evergreen and filled with a heat that matched the fire building inside me. I reached up and cupped his face with one hand, drawing him down until his lips pressed against mine.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

As Bella pulled me down for a kiss, I slid one hand under the bottom edge of her shirt and around to caress the soft skin of her back. The kiss was soft at first, tender, but I soon began to coax her lips gently apart with my tongue. When she sighed into the kiss and twisted my shirt in her grasp, I slipped my tongue out to find hers. The kiss grew more and more heated. Our tongues were dancing, slipping and tangling with one another. I couldn't seem to get enough of her, or her of me.

My breathing was ragged when we broke apart, but I couldn't stand to be too far from her. I immediately sought out the slender column of her neck, sucking and nibbling gently on the tender skin. Bella was breathing heavily, making little breathy, moaning sounds that shot straight to my already-hard dick.

I found a particularly soft, sensitive spot under her ear, and when I sucked lightly on the skin, Bella whimpered and jerked her hips against mine.

"Oh, God, Edward! Do that again," she pleaded breathily.

My hand slid down to the curve of her ass, and I pulled her tightly against me as I sucked slightly harder on the spot that had elicited such an amazing reaction the first time. I bit down gently, laving the spot with my tongue, as I ground my hips into her. My cock pressed against Bella's sweet spot, even through my jeans and her thin, black leggings.

"Don't stop," Bella begged again, gasping as I pulled her tighter against me, tangling our legs to get as close as I possibly could.

Our position, with Bella riding my body, reminded me of just a few nights before at the club, when the beautiful woman in front of me had ridden my thigh to completion. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to see her come apart again like she had then.

Moving my other hand between us, I gently massaged the luscious curves of one of her beautiful breasts before rolling the nipple between my thumb and forefinger. She gasped in pleasure, jerking her hips against me again. I tweaked the taut nub as I growled, "Come for me, love. Let go."

I watched through hooded eyes as Bella flew over the edge. A light pink blush spread across her face and down her neck as she trembled in my arms, the afterglow of her orgasm more beautiful than anything I could even imagine.

I kissed her softly, brushing the hair back that had fallen into her eyes, and watched as she came back to awareness.

"Edward?" she whispered, still holding me tight.

"Hmm?" I murmured softly.

She smiled up at me and then leaned to kiss me tenderly before continuing. "Make love to me."

I froze at her words. I'd wanted to take things as slow as Bella needed me to, especially after her story about her experience in college. If she felt like she was ready for us to take that next step, I certainly wasn't going to stop it.

"Are you sure?" I questioned, not wanting there to be any second thoughts or regrets.

Bella nodded, kissing me softly. "I'm sure," she answered, her voice filled with a quiet conviction.

That was all the reassurance I needed. I pressed my lips to hers for a hard and fast kiss and then slipped out of her embrace and to my feet. She made a sound of protest, but it was quickly silenced as I grabbed the remote and clicked the TV off. I left the movie playing, not really caring about anything but having the beautiful woman at my feet in my bed. She squeaked as I scooped her into my arms, and after another hard, fast kiss, I walked us purposefully to my bedroom.

The room was dark when we crossed the threshold. Rather than turn on the overhead light, I carried Bella carefully across the room to the bed and turned the bedside lamp on low. It cast a soft light just enough for me to see the beauty in my arms.

I slowly lowered her to the bed. Her hair fanned around her head as she swept it back away from her face, and there was a smoldering light in her eyes that showed me just how much she wanted me.

"Come here, Edward," she said softly, reaching up to pull me down to her.

I quickly shed my jeans and pulled my T-shirt over my head, leaving me clad in only a pair of black boxer briefs. Her eyes widened as she took in my obvious arousal, which was highlighted by the tight fabric. She blushed as she caught me watching her, and it excited me enough that my cock jumped, bringing her attention back to it. When she moaned softly, I quickly covered her body with mine, capturing her breathy moans with a kiss.

Desperate to feel her skin against mine, I pulled back enough to lift her shoulders from the bed. She lifted her arms over her head, and I slowly slid her shirt up and off, tossing it in the vicinity of the chair in the corner. I groaned softly when I saw the white lace cupping her breasts. Before lowering her back to the bed, I used one hand to quickly flick the closure holding the fabric together and then pulled it from her and tossed it near the shirt on the floor.

Bella moved her arms and began to cover herself.

I lowered her back to the mattress and begged, "Don't, please. You're stunning, Bella."

And she was. Her perfectly round breasts, just big enough to fit in my hands, with dark, rosy-pink nipples, which were tightened with arousal, had me throbbing and aching for her.

She nodded slowly and then moved her hands to rest on my forearms as I hovered over her. I bent my head and placed a kiss on her chest, right over her heart, before kissing my way back to her lips.

Bella's hands moved up my arms and down the muscles of my back as we kissed, her fingertips exploring every inch of me she could reach. With one hand holding myself up, I skimmed the other palm down from her cheek to her neck, continuing down her body. I cupped the warm weight of her breast in my hand, squeezing gently and rolling the nipple between my fingers, like I had in the living room a few minutes before.

She writhed underneath me, making little noises of desire against my lips. "More, please," she begged softly. "I need to feel more of you."

With one last kiss to her lips, I began to move down her body, paying special attention to the nipples that were begging to be touched, before kissing my way down her soft belly. I hooked my fingers in the top of her leggings, and with her nod, I slowly pulled them down her legs and past her feet, tossing them to the floor, leaving her in only the matching white panties.

Even in the low light of the room, I could see her arousal dampening the fabric between her legs. I lowered my head, pressed a soft kiss right over her center, and felt her jerk from the contact. When I hooked my fingers in the sides of her panties and drew them down, she whimpered. I quickly tossed them to the floor and then moved until I was stretched out on the bed with my head between her thighs.

I watched her fists clench the blanket beneath her, and then I lowered my head and skimmed my nose down her folds. Her scent called to me, begging me to taste her, and I quickly replaced my nose with my tongue, dragging it up slowly from the bottom to the top of her, circling around her clit once. Tart, like green apples, and spicy sweet, like cinnamon, assaulted my senses. I swirled my tongue around her clit again and then dipped it inside her, tasting her more deeply.

It was more than I'd dreamed of, and I knew I wanted more. Moving my lips back to her clit, I traced her lips with a finger, coating it with her juices, before slowly sliding it inside her. I needed desperately for her to come so I could taste her completely. She was so aroused, I knew it wouldn't take much. I added a second finger, curling them so I was pressing against the soft, spongy part at the front of her walls, and then sucked her clit into my mouth and bit down gently.

She came apart instantly, squeezing my fingers so tightly that I groaned at how it would feel on my cock. I kept stroking and licking every drop of her essence until she moaned my name, her hands reaching for me to try to pull me up her body.

With one last kiss to her curls, I quickly stood, shed my last piece of clothing, and grabbed a condom from the bedside table drawer. After donning the tight-fitting latex, I moved back onto the bed beside her. She reached one hand into the hair at the base of my neck and the other around to my back and pulled me above her. Looking deeply into her eyes, I slowly slid inside her.

"God, Bella," I hissed softly, feeling her tightening around me already. It was an incredible feeling, and I knew I wouldn't last nearly as long as I wanted to this first time with her.

I rocked my hips slowly, wanting to prolong both our pleasures as long as possible, until I couldn't wait any longer. With a groan, I flipped us over until Bella was straddling me, her knees planted on the mattress on either side of my hips. She began to ride me, sliding up and down my length easily. Resting her hands back on my thighs, her back was arched, giving me a beautiful view of her bouncing breasts, flat stomach, and curls at the place our bodies were joined.

When I felt my own orgasm quickly approaching, I reached between us to stroke her sensitive clit and murmured, "Come with me, Bella. Let me feel you come around me, please!"

With a flick of my fingers, Bella shattered once more, her cries of my name and clenching around my cock pulling me over the edge with her. I gripped her hip with my free hand, continuing to tease her clit with the other, and thrust up hard one last time. My orgasm felt like it was ripped out of me as I cried out her name.

Bella collapsed against my chest with a whimper. Sweat glistened off our bodies, and our breathing was labored, but I felt better, more alive, than I'd ever felt before.

After a few long moments, I pulled her down to my side and then carefully pulled the condom off, tied a quick knot at the top, and tossed it into the trash beside the bed. Then I turned back over, tugged the blanket and sheet out from under us, and pulled them back up over our bodies. Bella curled against my body, my back to her front, and hugged my arm when I slid it around her waist.

"Edward?" she murmured quietly.

I pressed a kiss to her hair. "Yes, love?"

"I love you. You don't have to feel the same yet. I just wanted you to kno—"

I whipped her around to face me, interrupting her speech, and planted my lips on hers. Finally pulling away, I looked deep into her eyes until I knew she was really looking at me, and smiled.

"I love you, too, my Bella."

Her beautiful smile quickly turned into a yawn.

"Sleep, my love."

Her eyes fluttered closed, and I reached over carefully to set the alarm before sleep claimed me as well.


	25. Chapter 25

**Bella's POV**

As I turned over the sign on the door to the shop, I couldn't help but smile. Edward and I had made love Wednesday and then again, several times, last night. I'd only ever been with two guys before, and it certainly hadn't felt like it did with Edward. He was a tender, caring lover, but I'd learned quickly that he had a potty mouth when he was turned on. It had excited me to hear the things he'd said to me the night before, and the more excited I'd gotten, the more turned on he'd been. It was a cycle neither of us had wanted to break. Consequently, we were up until after midnight, then awake again at three in the morning for another round, before having to be up at eight this morning for work.

I continued reminiscing as I checked to make sure I was ready for the day. When the first customer came in ten minutes later, I cleared all thoughts of the night before from my head and went back out to the main part of the store to attend to business.

The morning passed in a blur. I was really tired, so that didn't help things, and even though I tried writing, I just couldn't get anything good written. I did manage to put a small sign on the door that said the store would be closed the next day. We were going to Seattle to help Alice and Jasper move, so I wasn't going to open the store at all on Saturday.

At close to eleven o'clock, the bell above the door chimed, and when I looked up, a quick smile graced my face. I had a few customers who had already become regulars, and Mrs. Cope was one of those. She never failed to make me feel happy when she came into the store. She hadn't been in since Monday, since her family had been to visit for the week.

"Hello, dear." Mrs. Cope smiled as she walked to the counter.

"Good morning," I replied. "How are you today? How was your visit with your daughter and her family?"

"It was wonderful! The little ones are growing up so fast, though. They left early this morning, so I gathered my books and came right over. I've finished everything I bought last week. Do you have anything new for me?"

I nodded and then held up a finger. After a quick trip into my office, I came back out with a small bag. "I had a lady bring in a bunch of the Harlequin Intrigues the other day, and I hadn't seen you buy any of these, so I held onto them for you. Choose what you want, and then I'll put any you don't want on the shelf."

Mrs. Cope smiled happily and began rooting through the books in the bag. After several minutes, she set down five of the romance books and pushed the bag to the side. "These should do it," she told me, smiling.

"I'm glad you found some you'd like." I grabbed the bag and set it on the floor, out of the way.

As I rang up the books, she asked, "Now what's that note on the door about you being closed tomorrow?"

I explained about going to help Alice and Jasper move and that the store would be open as normal on Monday. We stood there chatting for a few more minutes until the door chime sounded and a young mother and her little boy came in.

"Okay, well, have a good weekend, dear. I'm sure I'll see you early next week," Mrs. Cope said, gathering her purse and books.

"Of course. Thank you. See you next week." I smiled as she left the store, and then I went to see if my newest customer needed any help.

~*~CIBD~*~

_I hate days like today, when Sasha's off work. – E_

Edward's text made me laugh. He'd complained about it when he walked me down to the store too, how he wouldn't be able to see me for lunch, even though we were only a handful of feet away from one another.

_Poor baby. We'll survive, won't we?__ – B_

His answer came only moments later. _I suppose. ;) How's your morning been? – E_

_Good. Steady. Yours? – B_

_Same. Don't forget to eat lunch. Lock the door and run up to grab the leftover pasta salad from your fridge later. – E_

_So protective. I will. Soon, probably. My stomach is growling so loudly, I'm surprised you can't hear it! – B_

_Is _that_ what that was?! I thought a lion had escaped from the zoo! – E_

I laughed and quickly fired off a reply. _No, but if you're good, I'll show you my inner tiger tonight. ;-) – B_

The bell above the door chimed, and I sent a new text before he could reply to the last one. _Gotta go. Customer. Luv u! – B_

He replied simply with: _U2_. – E

~*~CIBD~*~

It had been a busy day. People were thrilled the little used bookstore was reopened for business. Most didn't want to spend the money at either of the two big bookstore chains in town, and the only other privately owned bookstore sold more touristy stuff—like travel or local history books—and new books than they did the used stock they carried.

The bell above the door chimed just before five, letting me know I had a new customer. I was back in the children's corner, putting out a few new books and straightening up, so I called out, "Hi, welcome to Bella's Books. I'll be right up." I set the books to the side and then made my way to the front of the store.

When I got to the counter, I saw a good-looking, dark-skinned man with dreadlocks down past his shoulders. I smiled and prepared to introduce myself further, but the words stuck in my throat when I looked into his eyes. Something in them put me on edge instantly. He was smiling, trying to look friendly, but something about him made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I quickly moved to put the counter between us, keeping a forced smile on my face. Clearing my throat, I tried again to speak. "Hello. Can I help you find something?"

"I was just...driving by and saw your quaint little shop. I simply had to stop in." The man looked around, staring at the office for longer than I was comfortable with, before turning back to look at me. "My name's Laurent."

His voice was soft, precise, and if what I was hearing was right, he had a bit of a French accent, although it might've been Cajun from Louisiana and not the actual foreign country. If it weren't for the ultra-creepy vibe I was getting from him, I'd have thought him almost sexy.

"Uh, Bella," I offered, unsure of what to say.

He smiled again, flashing a bright white smile, and then turned and began to walk slowly over to the nearest shelf of books. After a moment, he turned back and spoke again. "I noticed there's an apartment over the store. Is that available for rent, by any chance? I'm thinking of moving to town and will need to find someplace to live," he said smoothly.

My mouth moved faster than my brain as I answered, "Oh no. I'm sorry, but that's my apartment. I live above the store."

I could almost hear Edward's voice in my head then, chiding me. _Bella, don't give him more personal information!_

His eyes grew dark at that, and I unconsciously took a small step backward.

"Oh, how convenient." He spoke softly, but it sounded calculated. "Do you have a roommate? Surely a young woman such as yourself doesn't live alone."

_Tell him yes, Bella. Tell him you don't live alone,_ I heard Edward again in my head.

I shook my head quickly and said the first thing that came to my mind. "No, I'm married."

He glanced down at my hands quickly, and his lip curled when he saw my bare ring finger. I hurriedly shoved my hands in my pockets.

"I see," he said then, his voice deceptively nonchalant. "And is he home now?"

Okay, I'd had enough. This guy was seriously creeping me out. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and got ready to dial Edward's number if I had to.

"Unless you plan to buy something, I think you should leave," I told the frightening man, trying to keep my voice steady.

He took a step toward the counter, forcing me to take a step back. When he took another step, I opened my phone and was about to hit the speed dial for Edward's number, when the door of my shop opened and four large, tanned young men came walking through, talking loudly and shoving at each other playfully.

I instantly recognized Jacob Black, an old friend of my father's, and Seth, my younger stepbrother. My heart, which had been lodged in my throat since I first laid eyes on the strange man, slowly fell back in place, and I breathed deeply.

"Jake!" I cried, racing around the counter to throw my arms around his neck. I could feel myself trembling as he engulfed me in his arms.

"Bella? Everything okay here?" Jacob asked, and I could feel his head move up to take in the man standing near my counter.

I nodded, feeling safe now that I was in his arms. "Now, yes." I lowered my voice and turned my face into his neck, whispering so only he could hear. "Make him go away, please. He scared the fuck out of me."

I was still shaking as I felt Jacob's muscles tense.

"Seth," he said quietly, carefully handing me over to my stepbrother.

Seth wrapped his arms around me, turning me away from the rest of the group. The two boys that had come in with them moved up with Jacob, leaving us by ourselves off to the side.

"I think it's time for you to go," Jacob told Laurent, his voice hard and commanding.

"My apologies," the man said. "I certainly didn't mean to frighten her. I'll be on my way now."

I raised my head enough to watch Jacob and the other two boys almost surround the man and walk him out. Seth and I were quiet until the group, minus Laurent, came back into the store.

"He's gone, Bella. We watched him drive away," Jake told me confidently. "Are you okay?"

I breathed a sigh of relief and then squeezed Seth once and moved away. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms before speaking.

"I'm good now, thanks."

"Did he do something to you, Bella? You looked like a deer in the headlights when we came in, honey."

I shook my head. "He just creeped me out—asked questions about the store, the apartment, whether I lived there alone, that type of thing. I probably overreacted," I said, shrugging my shoulders. In my head, I knew I hadn't, but I decided I would try living in the land of denial for a while.

"If you were worried and scared, there was probably a good reason, Bella," Seth responded softly.

I was still for a moment and then shook myself out of it and looked at the group of boys. Now that I was more calm, I recognized the other two with Jake and Seth. "Hey! What are you guys doing here, anyway? Quil, Embry, it's good to see you both, too. It's been a while."

Quil nodded. "Since Charlie and Sue's wedding."

"It's good to see you, Bella," Embry said with a smile. "Great place you've got here! Charlie said it was nice, and he was right."

I smiled at him. "Thank you. I love it so far." Turning to Jake, I said, "I thought you guys were at school."

"We were. We have a long weekend, so we thought we'd go home and see our families. Rebecca and Rachel are in town, and I wanted to see them. We've heard a lot about the store from Sue; since we had to drive through here anyway, we thought we'd stop and say hello."

"I'm glad you did," I told him honestly, smiling at the four of them. "I should stay open another hour, but I think I need to go upstairs and sit down." I realized I was still a little more freaked out than I wanted to be. "You guys wanna come upstairs and see the apartment?"

"That'd be good," Seth said. "Mom mentioned you have a friend that lives and works in the next building over?"

I nodded and smiled. "Edward Cullen. His family's from Forks. We, uh, we're seeing each other."

Jake smiled. "Good. Let's get upstairs, and you can tell us all about him."

I locked the door, double checked both locks, and flipped the sign to Closed. Then I grabbed the cash from the drawer, turned off the lights, and motioned for them to follow me.

~*~CIBD~*~

An hour later, there was a knock on the apartment door. Jacob immediately stood and held his hand out, silently telling me to stay where I was. I was sure it was Edward, but I nodded and stayed put anyway.

Jake opened the door quickly, blocking the entrance with his muscular frame. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Where's Bella?" I heard Edward's voice ask. "Who the hell are you?"

I quickly moved to the door and pushed past Jake to throw myself into Edward's arms. All the stress and tension I'd felt for the last hour and a half came pouring out of me as he wrapped his arms around me, and I began sobbing into his shirt.

~*~CIBD~*~

"So the guys explained what they'd walked in on and made me promise to keep her safe before they left so they could get to La Push before dark," Edward told his brother and Rose.

By the time he was finished, I was huddled on his lap, tense and chewing at my bottom lip. Emmett looked furious, and Rose was watching me with a worried look on her face.

"Bella, are you gonna be okay?" Rose asked me softly.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I will be. It just really shook me," I admitted.

"Bella," Emmett began, "you really should think about hiring someone to work with you. I don't think any of us—" he paused, looking around at Rose and Edward "—like the idea of you being alone in the store all the time."

"I'll start coming in until you find someone, Bella," Rose volunteered.

I raised her head and looked at Rose. "Rose, I can't let you do that! You've got your own job to handle."

Rose just shrugged. "Emmett and the guys at the shop can cover for me. It's no big deal."

"Yeah, Bells, we can handle the garage until you have someone to help you."

I felt my eyes well up with tears as I looked at the small group of friends that had quickly become like family.

"Thank you," I said quietly, brushing my tears away as they fell down my cheeks.

Rose smiled. "No need for thanks, Bella. You're family now. We protect our family."

We sat there for a few minutes, quietly sipping our beers. The guys had grilled steaks and veggies while Rose and I had made oven fries and chatted. We'd all been sitting around Edward's large dining table, just enjoying the time together, when Edward had finally brought up the visit from the creepy Laurent guy and my friends from La Push. The mood was more tense now, but I still felt safe and comfortable here with Edward and his family.

Emmett suddenly chuckled, drawing all of our attentions to him. "Speaking of family..."

Edward nodded. "I'm picking Mom and Dad up at the airport and driving them home on Thursday. They would just stay here in town, since they're coming back Friday for dinner, but Mom's desperate to get home to her own house and spend the night in her own bed. Plus, that way, they can drive their own car back the next day."

"Are they gonna stop by here first and meet Bella?" Emmett asked, looking over at me.

Edward shook his head. "Their plane comes in at six that morning. Mom wanted to stop and wake Bella up, but Dad convinced her to wait and meet her the next day."

Edward had told me this the day before, after he'd made the arrangements with his dad, so I wasn't surprised.

Emmett laughed. "I bet that's killing Mom, having to wait..."

Chuckling, Edward agreed. "You should've heard her whining on the phone. You'd think it was gonna be a week before she got to meet her," he said, squeezing me softly.

I smiled at that and then quickly covered my mouth as a wide yawn escaped me. "Oh, sorry," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks heat.

Rose smiled. "I think that's our cue to leave. We have an early morning tomorrow. We'll swing by at eight and pick you guys up."

I slowly climbed off Edward's lap and was engulfed in a big Emmett bear hug before being passed off to Rose's smaller, but still strong, embrace.

"Try to get some sleep tonight, okay? Edward'll keep you safe," she murmured against my ear as she hugged me goodbye.

I nodded, unable to voice my thanks, and then she and Emmett waved goodbye and closed the door behind them.

We stood there for a moment before I schooled my expression and turned to Edward. From the look on his face, I knew I hadn't done a very good job of hiding my anxiety.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I watched as Bella tried to put a calm expression on her face, but when she turned to me, I could see the fear in her eyes and the tightness around her eyes and mouth.

"What's wrong, love?" I asked softly, running the back of my hand down her cheek.

"Umm, would you walk me home and make sure no one's in my apartment, please? I don't wanna go over by myself until I know I'm alone."

Her voice broke in the middle of her plea, and I immediately felt myself go into ultra-protective mode. I made an instant decision.

"I'll do you one better, my Bella," I replied and then scooped her up into my arms.

Less than a minute later, I flipped on the light and then set her down on her feet beside my bed, steadying her with my hands on her shoulders. She bit her lower lip and looked down at the floor, color rising in her cheeks.

"Bella?" Using my thumb and forefinger to tilt her chin up so she was looking me in the eye, I gently pulled her lip from between her teeth. "What put that look in your eyes?"

She hesitated another moment, and then she took a deep breath and answered, "As much as I enjoyed our time the other night, I don't think I'm in the mood to..."

Her voice trailed off, and I realized what she was hinting at. I shook my head and quickly tried to put her at ease.

"Bella, love, all I wanna do tonight is hold you. I wanna fall asleep with you in my arms and know you're safe with me. Will you let me do that?"

I held my breath as I waited for her answer, and the sweet smile she graced me with brought relief to my entire body. She nodded, but then looked pensive again. "I still need to run over to my house and grab something to sleep in," she murmured.

I took three steps around her, opened a drawer, and then came back to face her. Holding out one of my most comfortable T-shirts, I said, "Here, take this. Will that work?"

She nodded, kissing me softly before making her way to the bathroom. "I'll be right out," she said softly over her shoulder.

As soon as the bathroom door was closed, I quickly shed my clothes and pulled a pair of soft cotton pajama pants out of a drawer and slid them on. I was used to sleeping in nothing at all, so the last time I'd worn these had been when visiting my parents' house. Nonetheless, I figured Bella would be more comfortable if I had at least something on.

I climbed into bed, pulled the sheet and blanket back to make room for Bella beside me, and then relaxed on my back with my fingers laced behind my head. Minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and Bella walked back into the bedroom. I saw her eyes light up when she saw me on the bed, bare chested and relaxed.

She'd finger-combed her hair, so it wasn't as sleek as she wore it during the day, yet it gave off a casual, sexy vibe. The dark blue T-shirt hit her mid-thigh, making her legs look a mile long and unbelievably hot. She had her lower lip between her teeth again, and with one hand on the door frame and one knee bent, she looked like sex personified. My cock went from nice and relaxed to hard as a rock in ten seconds flat, and it was everything I could do to keep my moan suppressed.

"C'mon, love. Let's get some sleep," I told her, smiling and patting the bed beside me. I willed my erection to go away, not wanting her to feel pressured in any way.

She nodded mutely and then turned off the light and made her way to the bed. As she climbed up on the mattress, the T-shirt rode up until I got a peek at her dark pink, lacy panties, and I slammed my eyes closed as I took a deep, calming breath. When I opened them again, she was lying beside me, a cross between a nervous smile and a confident smirk on her face.

"You okay, Edward?" she asked softly, her eyes quickly moving down my body before racing back up to my face. I watched color spread to her cheeks as she blushed again.

"Of course," I answered. "Now come here and get comfortable."

I pulled the sheet and blanket over us and then turned onto my side and pulled her to me, her back to my front. My cock nestled itself against the curves of her ass, and we both sighed at the contact. I took one moment to relish the feel of her pressed against me and then curled my body more fully around hers and bent to brush a kiss to her shoulder.

"Good night, my Bella," I whispered against her ear.

"Night. Love you," she murmured, already halfway there. The stress of her afternoon was quickly pulling her to unconsciousness.

I could still feel her muscles tense beneath my arm and against my chest and legs, so I began to hum the melody to the song I'd composed for her. Gradually, I felt her relax until she was nearly boneless in my arms, and then her quiet, even breathing lulled me into my own peaceful sleep.


	26. Chapter 26

**Bella's POV**

I woke up Saturday morning, just as the pink light of dawn was slipping over the horizon. The T-shirt had given me to sleep in the night before had ridden up and was bunched around my waist, leaving plenty of skin for Edward's strong arm to touch as he lay wrapped around me, my back to his front. I felt his morning erection pressed between our bodies, and I could feel just how hard he was. Suddenly, I had an overwhelming need to touch him, to feel him against my skin, not just through the fabric of my panties and his sleep pants.

Carefully, I moved out from under his arm, enjoying the soft noise of protest he made when he wasn't touching me anymore. I paused, waiting to see if he would wake up, but he didn't. He simply rolled over onto his back a little, pulling my pillow with him.

_Thank you very much for making my job even easier, Edward,_ I thought with glee before sliding down between his legs under the sheets.

I was careful not to touch him too much; I didn't want to wake him too quickly. First, I carefully pulled his sleep pants over his impressive erection, sliding it down his hips as best I could. Then, bracing myself on my hands on either side of his hips, I leaned forward and oh-so-slowly ran my tongue from the base of his cock to the tip, swirling it around the flared head before moving my way back down. My tongue traced the veins under the skin until I got to his balls, where I sucked first one, then the other, into my mouth.

When I eased my mouth back to the top, I encased just the head between my lips, gently sucking to get as much of the pre-cum beading at the tip that I could. It tasted so good, I unconsciously hummed my appreciation, which apparently was enough to finally wake Edward from his light sleep. He moaned my name softly, and I felt the pillow get shoved to the other side of the bed before his hands tossed the sheet over me, exposing me to his view.

"God, Bella," he hissed, fisting his hands in my hair gently.

I looked up at him from under my lashes and slowly lowered my head until he was as far in my mouth as he could go. When I wrapped my fingers around the base to stroke the length I couldn't reach with my mouth, he groaned and thrust his hips up slightly, his fingers pulling my hair subconsciously.

I made a sound deep in my throat, and from the whimper it pulled from Edward, I knew the vibration had felt good on his cock. His pre-cum was flowing freely down my throat as I stroked and sucked him. My fist twisted on every movement up his shaft, over and over again, until he was thrusting with every other stroke.

Moving to brace myself on my elbow, my now-free hand moved to cup his heavy sac. I rolled his balls in my palm for a moment, relishing the weight and warmth. With one last hard suck, I moved my mouth down, using my hand to continue stroking his length. When I sucked a ball between my lips and used my tongue to trace circles on the warm skin, Edward cried out, his body tensing.

"Fuck! Bella, I won't last like this," he groaned.

I smirked against his skin, letting his ball slide from between my lips before sucking the other into my mouth. My tongue massaged it in my mouth for a moment while my hand twisted and stroked his erection. When I got to the tip, my thumb brushed over the slit, spreading the pre-cum around the sensitive head.

With one last draw on his sac, I released him and moved my mouth back to his cock. One hand cupped him again, and I braced myself on the mattress with the other as I swallowed his entire length into my mouth and down my throat, taking pleasure in his immediate reaction.

He cried out and thrust hard as I deep throated his cock. I could feel his sac draw tight under my palm, and when I reached back with a finger to press and rub the sensitive spot behind his balls and moaned around him, he exploded.

I watched as he threw his head to the pillow, arching his back and thrusting his hips when he came, shooting thick ropes of tangy, salty cum into my mouth. He was gasping for breath, and I swallowed and swallowed all he had to offer, until he was nearly boneless beneath me. His hands fell to his sides, as if the mere act of holding his arms up was too much at the moment.

Gently, I let his softening cock slide from my lips, giving it one last kiss before moving back up the bed to lie beside Edward.

"Good morning," I murmured. I wrapped my arm around him and slid my leg on top of his.

"Shit, Bella," he breathed. "That was amazing!"

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I turned to my side and wrapped the reason for my existence in my arms, telling her again, "_You_ are amazing, my love."

Her answering grin made my heart stutter, like I was on the edge of death, before it began beating so hard that I felt it would jump right out of my chest. When she whispered, "I love you, Edward," I thought I _had_ died and was lying there in Heaven.

I leaned down to brush my lips lightly with hers, moving to cup her face with my hands and sweeping my thumbs across her cheeks as I answered softly, "As I love you."

We lay together for another minute before I glanced over at the clock and sighed. "Love, we have about thirty minutes before Rose and Emmett get here to pick us up. How about I grab some clothes, and then we head to your place to get ready?"

"Sounds good," she answered, smiling.

With one last kiss, we both climbed out of bed, and I pulled my sleep pants off completely, smirking when Bella watched me instead of moving further. I watched the blush spread across her cheeks as I used the pants to wipe myself off. Then I grabbed a pair of basketball shorts from the dresser, pulling them on to wear across the landing to Bella's apartment.

When I moved to find a shirt and jeans to wear to Seattle, Bella finally shook herself out of her trance-like state and went to the bathroom to grab her clothes from the day before. She came out a few minutes later, wearing the jeans, but carrying the shirt, still in my T-shirt I'd given her last night.

"Ready?" I asked, smiling at her.

She nodded, and I grabbed the clothes from the top of the dresser before ushering her out of the bedroom.

I stopped in the living room to grab my keys, wallet, cell phone, and sneakers, letting Bella grab her things too, and then moved to the door. Before opening it, I paused.

"Let me go first, okay?" I told her. When she nodded, I continued. "When we get to your door, stay outside until I tell you it's okay to come in."

To my relief, she didn't protest at all, just simply nodded again. I could tell she was still shaken up about the day before, and I vowed to myself that I would make her feel safe again.

I opened the door and stepped out; seeing no one, I motioned Bella out, as well. Locking my door behind her, I traded her keys. "If something happens, go let yourself back in and lock it behind you," I told her. I wasn't expecting anything to happen, but better safe than sorry.

When we got to her door, I handed her my things and then used her key to let myself in. I left the door open and made a quick sweep of the apartment. Finding nothing out of place, I went back to Bella, ushering her inside.

"Everything good?" she questioned.

I smiled, nodding. "Looks fine," I said, taking my things back from her. "You wanna shower first, love?"

She nodded, turning toward the hall. She'd moved a few steps before she paused and turned to look over her shoulder at me.

"Wanna save time and shower together?" she asked with a grin. Without waiting for an answer, she took off quickly down the hall.

I tossed everything but my clothes down on the couch and raced off to find her in the bathroom, already out of her jeans and stripping off my T-shirt.

Standing there in her lacy, pink panties, she looked like a sex kitten. Her breasts were just the right size for my hands, the nipples a pale, rosy pink. Her trim waist led to gently flared hips, which brought my eyes to the soft curve of her ass and the special place at the juncture of her thighs.

She held my eyes as she slowly slid the panties down her legs, baring herself to me. My dick went from semi-hard to completely rigid in seconds when I saw the moisture gathering on her curls, almost begging me to taste it.

Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to bury my face in those curls until she came on my tongue. Without bothering to undress myself, I set my clothes on the bathroom counter, moved the two feet to Bella, picked her up, and carefully set her on the edge. I moved her thighs apart with my hands and then did exactly what I'd wanted to do from the moment I set eyes on her.

I lowered my head and began to taste.

Within minutes, I had her writhing underneath me, her hands braced behind her and head thrown back as she moaned my name over and over again. My mouth covered her whole pussy, teasing and tasting her.

"Please, oh, please," she mumbled, trying to thrust her hips up to meet my tongue.

"Please what, love?" I asked against her lower lips.

"Oh, God, Edward, please, let me come!" she pleaded.

Never one to deny my love anything she asked for, I slid two fingers inside her, curling them, and sucked her clit into my mouth, swirling my tongue around. When I bit down gently, she cried out, her orgasm hitting her suddenly. I withdrew my fingers, moving them to circle her clit softly as my mouth descended on her opening, and I used my tongue to gather all the juices flowing out of her.

When she finally stopped shaking, I pressed one more kiss to her lower lips and then stood and gathered her to me. She tangled her hands in my hair, tugging me to her, and kissed me for all she was worth.

My face was slick with her juices, but she didn't seem to care. She slid her tongue between my lips; we both hummed with pleasure as I shared her own taste with her. My cock, hard as steel, was nestled between us, pressing against her clit with every movement. I wanted inside her, but knew we needed to get in the shower.

I pulled away, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, and said, "C'mon, love, let's get in the shower." I shed my shorts and tossed them aside. Turning back around, I picked her up and set her on her feet before turning to the shower.

As I turned on the water and waited for it to warm, Bella wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her breasts against my back. She kissed my skin once and reached around to stroke my dick. I growled softly, thrusting into her hand before moving my own down to cover hers, helping her stroke me.

"Bella, love, if you don't stop now, I won't be held responsible for the consequences," I promised her.

Her only response was to tighten her fist and stroke faster.

As soon as the water was hot, I stepped into the shower and pulled her in with me.

"Bella," I murmured, pressing her back against the cool tile of the shower.

She looked up at me with her big, beautiful brown eyes, waiting for me to continue.

"Do you know what I thought the first time I saw your bathroom?"

She shook her head, biting her lower lip between her teeth.

"All I could think about was how it would feel to take you against the wall of this shower, to take you from behind until we could both barely stand." My voice was low, husky, as desire and need seeped in.

Bella smiled wantonly and then stepped closer, pressing herself to me as she whispered, "Why don't you, then?"

I growled once and then turned her around, bending her at the waist so her chest was pressed to the tile. With a foot, I nudged her legs apart, and then I slid my fingers into her from behind, testing her wetness.

Bella whimpered and thrust her hips back at me, begging without words for more. I pulled my fingers free, and holding the base of my dick with one hand and her hip with the other, I thrust balls deep into her.

We both cried out as her pussy gripped my cock. We'd made love several times a few nights before, but even so, it felt like coming home.

We were both too worked up already to go slow. Bella blindly reached back, pulling me forward until I was bent over her, my head close to hers. Her hand moved to my hair, tugging until my mouth hovered above her shoulder.

"Touch yourself," I begged. "I'm not gonna last long, Bella."

Her hand left my hair and disappeared in front of her, and I knew she was fingering her clit when she gasped and thrust back against me. I gripped her hip with one hand and braced myself on the wall with the other and then began to pound into her. She was meeting me thrust for thrust and began trembling as I fucked her.

"Oh, God!" she cried, and from the way her arm began to move, I could tell she'd begun touching herself more forcefully.

I felt my orgasm beginning, so I growled a plea for her to come with me.

I bit down lightly on the spot where her neck met her shoulder, and when she cried out, I felt her clench tight around me, her orgasm pulling mine from me, as well. I continued thrusting until it began to get too sensitive, and then I slowly pulled out and turned her around, pressing my forehead to hers.

"Oh, God, Bella," I moaned softly. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" I touched the little mark on her skin I'd made with my teeth and felt her shudder.

She was breathing heavily, but shook her head and said, "No, not at all. That was..." She paused, like she was trying to think of the right word. "That was better than amazing."

We stood under the spray for several more minutes, until Bella gasped.

"What's wrong?" I looked her over, making sure she wasn't hurt anywhere.

"Edward! We need to hurry. Emmett and Rose'll be here soon," she said quickly, trying to turn around to get to the soap.

"Let 'em wait," I murmured, pulling her back to me and burying my face in her neck, breathing in her scent.

"And have Emmett tease us the entire way to Seattle?" she asked, tugging at my hair until I was looking at her. "I don't think so!"

I laughed, knowing she was right. "Okay, love. You're right. I'd hate to have to kill him before my parents even get home. Let's get clean, sweet girl."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

Ten minutes later, we were out of the shower and dressed. I was drying my hair when I heard a knock on the door and Emmett's booming voice.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Edward just looked at me and rolled his eyes. We both chuckled when we heard what his brother yelled next.

"Rosie, baby, are they over there?"

"Damn," Edward said with a laugh. "I'm gonna go let 'em in before people start calling the police and Emmett gets arrested for disturbing the peace."

He gave me a quick kiss and then walked out to the living room. I heard him open the door and greet Emmett and Rose, and then the TV in the living room switched on.

I was bent over, drying the underside of my wavy hair, when I heard a knock on the door frame. I quickly flipped back up and saw Rose standing in the doorway.

"Hi," I greeted her, smiling.

"Good morning, Bella. How are you doing this morning?"

I grabbed a small clip and began pulling my hair back before answering. With a sigh, I said, "Better. Nothing really happened yesterday. I dunno why I got so freaked out."

Rose came into the bathroom and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Bella, it was okay to be scared. From what you told us, the guy was uber-creepy and disturbing. Better to be frightened enough that it puts your guard up for a while than to blow it off and be sorry later."

I nodded. "I guess so, yeah." I paused, thinking over what Rose had said. "Well, anyway, I'm better today. I fell asleep in Edward's arms, and that's like a big ol' security blanket," I said, chuckling.

"Believe me, I know the feeling. I've never felt as safe as I do when I'm in Emmett's arms. He's such a big teddy bear, but he can be protective and fierce when he needs to be."

We smiled at each other in the mirror as I checked my reflection one last time.

"Okay," I told her. "I'm ready."

We walked out to the living room and saw Edward and Emmett sprawled on my couch like they owned the place.

"Make yourself right at home, doofus," Rose told Emmett, smacking the back of his head.

"Hey!" he called loudly. "What the hell did I do?" He looked mystified as he stared up at his wife.

"This is new furniture, Em. Move your feet!" Rose looked at me and rolled her eyes when I just grinned.

"You ready, love?" Edward asked, looking over at me.

"I am," I replied. To the group, I said, "We haven't eaten anything, and I haven't had my coffee, so let's run through someplace first, please."

"Oh, yeah, I could get something to eat," Emmett agreed, rubbing his stomach.

Rose rolled her eyes again. "Don't let him fool you, Bella. He already had three pancakes, three scrambled eggs, three pieces of bacon, and nearly half a gallon of orange juice this morning."

My eyes bugged out, and I looked Emmett over, trying to find out where he'd put it all.

He cracked a grin and said, "I look good, don't I?"

Edward snorted from behind him.

Emmett sniffed, like he was offended. "Hey, don't knock it. I know I do. Besides, anything I eat today will be burned off moving the pixie and her cowboy."

"Sure, Emmett, whatever you say," Edward told him, laughing. He turned to look at me again. "What do you need to take, Bella?"

"Lemme just grab my purse and make sure my cell and everything I need's in it, and then we can go."

I quickly threw in my cell phone, the book I was in the middle of, my iPod for the heck of it, and a can of mace—courtesy of my father. After checking to make sure my wallet was already in there, I grabbed my keys and smiled, moving toward the door.

After ushering everyone out ahead of me, I locked up, tossed my keys into my purse, and took Edward's proffered hand, letting him lead me to Emmett's waiting Jeep.

~*~CIBD~*~

On our way out of town, we drove through McDonald's, where Emmett placed an order for two breakfast burritos, five sausage egg mcmuffins, four hash browns, and four large coffees. The voice over the speaker seemed hesitant and had Emmett repeat the order twice. He finally got frustrated enough that he drove up to the window without being told. When the worker got a look at Emmett and the rest of us, she blushed and meekly gave Emmett the total.

After passing my single sandwich, Edward's burritos, two hash browns, and two coffees back to us, Rose handed Emmett the bag with a laugh.

"I've known you for almost ten years, and you still surprise me," she told him, shaking her head.

"Good," he said, nodding. "Gotta keep you on your toes." He looked in the rear view mirror and winked at me. "Everyone ready?"

We nodded, and he carefully drove out of the parking lot, heading for the 101.

The eighty or so mile trip took just over two hours with traffic. About an hour into the drive, Rose got a call from Alice, who suggested we meet them at Pike Place Market, where she wanted to go one last time before moving.

At Rose's suggestion, I called Angela and asked if she and Ben wanted to met us there as well. When I called Ang, she said they were both working until just before noon, so instead, she suggested a place to meet up for lunch in the Market. The rest of us could hang there until lunch and meet up with them then. I asked the three in the Jeep with me if that sounded good to them and then told Ang I'd see her then.

~*~CIBD~*~

We spent two hours walking around the Market, talking, laughing, and just enjoying hanging out as a group. Our first stop was Rachel, the giant brass pig sculpture, which was a real working piggy bank and the mascot of Pike Place Market. Emmett insisted we each hop on and get our picture taken, but when it came to his turn, he stood behind the pig and made obscene gestures.

Laughing, Jasper and Edward pulled him away while Rose hissed, "Dumbass! You're gonna get us kicked out!" She promptly put in some money to the big bank, rolling her eyes and smirking at Alice and me as she turned away from the boys.

Edward lead us directly into Pike Place Fish, claiming he wanted to see the flying fish. Just as we walked inside, the guy standing out selling to the crowd shouted, "Sockeye!"

Everyone behind the counter yelled it back to him, and then the whole, cleaned salmon went flying through the air to someone at the counter. We watched for a few minutes, different types of fish getting called out and thrown, even seeing them sometimes pass them back and forth several times.

Just before we were set to leave, a worker behind the counter caught a fish, set it down, and then pulled something out from behind the counter. He looked into the crowd and tossed the stuffed animal our way. Emmett caught the toy salmon and began dancing around like he'd just caught the winning touchdown.

As we walked away, he decided if the shop ever went under, he was moving to Seattle and becoming a fish thrower; Rose just glared at him, as if she dared him to even entertain the thought further.

I looked around and said, "I wanna go to Market Spice. I think it's that way." I pointed in the direction I thought I saw the little store.

I'd heard about the great shop on the Food Network. It sold bulk spices, teas, and even a few coffees. I ended up buying several containers of the coffee and tea, promising to make Edward a cup the next morning.

As we walked, Rose stopped at Frank's Quality Produce. "I want an apple," she said randomly.

We all looked at each other, shrugged, and followed her inside.

While there, "Little Frank," as he told us to call him, told us a little about their history. The shop had been in their family for nearly a hundred years, and we could tell they loved it. Rose picked out her apple while Alice and I asked for directions to the place we were meeting Ang and Ben for lunch. After diligently writing them down, Alice and I said goodbye to Little Frank, and we headed back out to continue playing tourist.

We wandered for a while until we came up on a cute little shop dedicated to the Day of the Dead. All of us but Alice enjoyed Milagros Mexican Folk Art; she claimed it freaked her out, much to our amusement. None of us hesitated to tease her about it.

When we got to Beecher's Handmade Cheese, I saw Angela and Ben standing outside waiting for us.

"Ang!" I ran up and grabbed my old friend in a big hug, twirling her around as she laughed.

"Hey, Bells! It's so good to see you! You look amazing," she gushed once I'd put her down.

Ben immediately grabbed me in a hug, patting my back gently. "She's right, Bella," he said, pulling back to look me over critically. "You look...happy."

I grinned. "I am." I held my hand out for Edward, who was standing with the rest of the group a few feet away. "Very."

Edward stuck out his free hand to shake Ben's and said, "Hey, guys. It's good to see you. Enjoying Seattle so far?"

Angela nodded and answered, "We are. It's a great city. So much to do here compared to Forks and Port Angeles. Hi, guys," she called over Edward's shoulder. "Is everyone ready for lunch? They have _the_ best mac-and-cheese here!"

Alice nodded. "Don't they? I get that every time we come here."

Everyone greeted Angela and Ben, and then we walked inside, quickly finding a place to park ourselves so we could order our lunch and still watch the cheesemakers at work. We all ordered a sandwich and mac-and-cheese, except Rose, who ordered a sandwich and Tomato Flagship soup.

"So you found a house already?" Alice asked Angela, as we watched them making the cheese and waited for our lunch to arrive.

"We did. We close in a month. We were supposed to close in a couple of weeks, but something went wrong with the seller's scheduled move date, so they asked if we could push it back for two weeks," Angela told us.

Ben continued, "Yeah, since we aren't paying rent right now, it wasn't a problem for us. The guys at work are free to help whenever we move to the house, so we're okay staying where we are until then."

"What's it like? Do you have pictures?" I held my hand out, like I was reaching for something.

Angela laughed and nodded. "I took some on my phone the last time we were there, knowing you'd wanna see." She dug it out of her pocket and handed it to me.

Edward leaned in and watched as I flipped through them. The house was a brick Tudor, built into enough of a hill that the garage looked to be underground. There were big trees and bushes out in front, with steps from the sidewalk leading up to the walkway and then again to the front door. The doorway and door were arched, and the door itself was a pretty yellow color.

"The floors are hardwood, and there's plenty of space. It's got four bedrooms and two and a half baths, which is more than enough for us for a while," Angela said while we continued to flip through the pictures.

"Love the cabinets," I told her when we saw a picture of the kitchen. It was fairly small, but the cabinets were a light-colored wood, and the appliances were stainless steel, which I loved.

"The backyard is a great size," Edward commented. "You guys should get a dog."

All of us chuckled when Angela nodded her head enthusiastically.

Ben looked resigned and playfully said, "That's what she keeps telling me."

We finished looking at the pictures and then passed the phone around so Alice and Rose could look, too. Just as Rose and Emmett finished and handed the phone back to Ang, our lunch arrived at the table.

I had the Dungeness Crab & Flagship grilled sandwich, which was delicious, but their "World's Best Mac & Cheese" was amazing. Edward liked his so much, he tried stealing a few bites of mine, but I stabbed him gently with a fork, making him laugh.

Everyone chatted back and forth while we ate, catching up and just enjoying the company. When we'd finished, I looked at the clock on the wall of the little restaurant and sighed.

"I guess we'd better go," I said, sighing. "We need to get them loaded and cleaned so we can head back home."

Angela frowned and grabbed me for another hug. "I wish you didn't have to go," she told me sadly.

She released me, and I felt Edward's arms wrap around me from behind. His warm breath was suddenly near my ear as he said softly, "Why don't you go hang out with Angela and Ben, and then I can pick you up when we're heading back home?"

I turned in his arms, surprised. "Really? You guys wouldn't mind?" I looked from him to Alice.

She shook her head. "Not at all, Bella. There are plenty of us to do it all. Go hang out with them. You and Edward are gonna drive Jazzy's truck back to Port Angeles, so he can swing by and get you on his way out of town. It's not far from here, right, Angela?"

"Nope, only about six miles. It'll be easy for him to find. Umm, lemme find something to write with, and I'll give you our address and directions." She took the paper and pen Alice pulled from her purse and began writing.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I knew Jasper and Emmett needed to get away from the group for a bit, so I began trying to think of a way for that to happen. When Angela finished writing and gave me the paper, I stuck it in my pocket and asked, "Where did you guys park?"

Ben rolled his eyes and laughed. "There are spaces right outside, but no...Angela wanted to look for something down at the other end of the place, so we parked all the way at the south end. How about you guys?"

"Yeah, that's where we are, too. Alice and Jasper, as well." Suddenly, inspiration struck. "You know, Bella, we can't leave until we hit up the _original_ Starbucks. It's just down the street." I'd heard someone else mention it being close earlier in the morning and knew it was something Bella would enjoy.

I watched as her head whipped up. My girl was nothing if not addicted to her coffee.

"Oooh, do we have time?" she asked excitedly, looking from me to the rest of the group.

I looked at Jazz, who nodded almost imperceptibly, and then turned back to her. "We do."

"I wanna go back to a little shop I saw earlier, maybe pick up a T-shirt or something. I don't really want any coffee. Meet you guys back at the car?" Jasper looked at Alice, and then the rest of us, before turning his gaze on Emmett.

Emmett quickly said, "Hey, man, that sounds good. Rosie, baby, I'm gonna go with Jasper. I wanna see if they have a T-shirt with a flying fish or a pig on it."

Rose just laughed and shoved at his shoulder. "Fine, then. Go on. We'll meet you guys at the cars."

The two of them left quickly, and I slipped an arm around Bella's waist and led the rest of the group out and down the street to the Starbucks. It really was close, less than a tenth of a mile, if my guess was right. It was also _extremely_ crowded. We almost decided not to go in, since we could get a coffee at any of the many, _many_ coffee places around Seattle. For people addicted to coffee like Bella and me, though, the temptation to buy from the _original_ Starbucks was too great to skip, even with the crowd.

When we got inside, Alice insisted we each get a Frappuccino. She ordered a Double Chocolaty Chip, while Rose and Bella got a Cinnamon Dolce, and I got a Tazo Green Tea Crème for myself. Alice had her camera out and flirted with the guy behind the counter until he took a picture of us all holding our drinks, standing in front of the sign proclaiming it to be the original store.

Just as we were leaving the Starbucks, my phone beeped, signaling an incoming text. I handed Bella my drink and pulled my phone from my pocket.

_Hey, we heard about this cool thing and thought we should check it out. Head back the way we came, and I'll meet you guys. – J_

Alice asked, "Is that from Jazz?"

I nodded and held out my phone for her. "He and Emmett found something cool we have to look at before we can leave. We're supposed to head back toward the cars, and he'll meet us."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Alice's POV**

We walked for a couple of minutes before meeting up with Jasper in front of a restaurant called Lowell's. He waved as we approached and then moved to my side and gave me a hug.

"Emmett didn't wanna leave. So he's waiting for us there," he told us as he led us down the street.

"Where's there?" Rose asked, looking at Jasper with a curious expression on his face.

"We were walking down to the shop and heard these people talk about the gum wall."

"Gum wall? That sounds weird," Bella said, smirking.

"Oh, it is. It's bizarre," Jasper told her, "but it's pretty cool. If you don't mind gross stuff."

"Ahh, my big bear is right at home, then," Rose teased.

"Apparently, it's been rated as the second germiest place in the world," Jasper explained. "It started when people waiting in line at the theatre got upset at the wait time and stuck their gum on the wall. People just continued to do that over and over again until the walls of the little alley began filling up. They cleaned it off twice, but it became so popular and famous, they finally decided to leave it."

I laughed. "It sounds like the underside of park benches and school desks, but worse!"

"Yeah, it's crazy. Anyway, we just thought we should check it out before we left. It's in Post Alley, which runs through the Market."

We turned off into an alley and saw Emmett about midway down. He waved and shouted, "This is so cool! It's gross, but cool. Come check it out!"

We walked toward him, looking at some of the odd designs made by bubblegum on the wall, until something caught my eye. I stopped and stared, looking at it twice before it hit me that what I was reading was real.

"Jasper?" I almost gasped his name, still staring at the wall. When he didn't answer, I said it again.

When I turned to find him behind me, I saw him down on one knee, a little black box in his hands. I looked back at the wall, saw the bright green bubblegum saying _MARRY ME ALICE_, and then whipped back around to him.

The expression on his face was a mix of excitement and fear, but the look in his eyes was one of peace and love.

"Alice," he began quietly, "I feel like I've loved you my entire life. You make life worth living, and I can't imagine going on without you as my wife. Please say you'll do me the honor of marrying me."

I squealed and threw myself into his arms, nearly knocking him over. Only Edward behind him prevented us from falling.

"Yes, yes, yes! A million times yes, baby!"

I grinned as he slid a beautiful white gold diamond ring onto the third finger of my left hand. The diamond in the middle was a Princess cut and about a carat, with a good handful of smaller diamonds in two split rows on each side. It was a little different and definitely more interesting than a normal engagement ring. In other words, it was perfect.

Jasper was holding my hands in his and smiling. I looked at him and back at the wall before something occurred to me.

"Omigod! _Please_ tell me you didn't touch that thing!" I shrieked, pointing at the wall behind me.

"Hey, Energizer Pixie! Lookie over here," my oafish big brother called. When I looked back at him, he held up two pairs of latex gloves. "Don't worry, sister dear. I've got you covered. Your man is clean."

Everyone, including Jasper, cracked up when I gave a big sigh of relief. I pretended to get huffy and upset, but finally, my own laughter bubbled up. I was too happy to be upset at the teasing!

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

Watching Jasper propose to Alice nearly made me cry. What he and Emmett had done on the wall was gross, but he'd scored major points for doing something so unique and interesting. As the two of them stood there staring into each other's eyes, Edward snuggled me back against his chest and leaned down to whisper into my ear.

"He's been planning to propose for a while. When we made the plans to come here today, he texted me and told me his idea. He and Emmett ran to one of the shops a few minutes ago and bought two big bags of green apple bubblegum so the green would show up enough on the wall. He'd read about this before, but neither of them had ever seen it."

I turned my head and kissed him softly before replying. "Well, I think Alice is happy. That's what matters."

"Okay, kiddies, let's go! We got things to do!" Emmett's voice echoed off the walls of the alley, startling Angela, who was standing near me.

I giggled as she jumped. She glared at me before laughing herself, and the four of us moved toward Alice, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett, beginning the walk to the car.

At the entrance to the parking garage, Angela mentioned that she and Ben were parked on the fourth level. Since everyone else was parked on the first level, I said goodbye to the others and turned to Edward.

"Call me later when you're about finished, okay?" I murmured as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I will. Have fun with Angela and Ben." He gave me a long kiss before releasing me. "Love you, my Bella."

I smiled. "Love you, too."

Angela, Ben, and I stepped into the elevator, and the last thing I saw before the doors closed was Emmett running and jumping at Edward, who was laughing as his brother led him away.


	27. Chapter 27

**Bella's POV**

Ben, Angela, and I made small talk all the way back to their apartment. I learned a little more about the people they both worked with, and told them about some of my repeat customers.

"Mrs. Cope sounds like a sweetie," Angela said as Ben pulled into their parking spot.

"She is. I made the decision the other day that I needed to hire someone to help out in the store, and I think she's gonna tell me she wants the job," I confided.

"Oh yeah? Will you hire her?"

I nodded. "I think so. She knows her way around books, and she used to be a secretary in a high school, so she should be able to handle just about anything that's thrown at her."

My mind raced at that statement, remembering the creepy guy from the other day.

I was quiet as they led me up the elevator and inside their place. When we got inside, I asked Ang to point me in the direction of the bathroom. I was beginning to freak out, and I needed a few minutes to calm myself down.

Several minutes later, I walked back to the living room and found Angela and Ben sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in their hands and a third on the coffee table in front of the empty spot on the couch. I smiled gratefully as I collapsed beside them.

Angela picked up my glass and handed it to me, letting me get one sip in before she asked. "Wanna tell us what that was about?"

I tried to look innocent, but when they each just raised an eyebrow without saying a word, I knew they hadn't bought it.

Sighing, I answered, "I had a weird, uh, customer the other day."

When I finished the story about CL, or Creepy Laurent as I'd been calling him in my head, Ben looked worried and Angela looked about as freaked out as I felt.

"Bells," she began, closing her mouth when I held up a hand.

"I know," I told them. "Don't worry, I'm gonna take every precaution I can. Edward is right next door, and Rose said she'll be with me until I hire someone."

I shook my head and sighed again. "Besides, I'm sure he's long gone. Those guys can be pretty intimidating when they aren't goofing off and acting like a bunch of little boys," I told them, thinking of Jacob, Seth, Quil, and Embry.

Angela looked like she wanted to say something more, but she simply shook her head and changed the subject.

"So..."

I laughed. "Yes?"

"Things are going well with Edward? When I talked to you the other day, things were progressing, right?"

Ben laughed. "I'm out, ladies. I'll be on the computer when you finish your girl talk," he teased, kissing us both on the cheek before heading down the hall.

When he was gone, I leaned my head back and smiled, thinking of Edward. "Yeah, things are going well." Looking up at her, I admitted, "I'm in love with him, Ang." I held up a hand to stop her progress. "It's crazy, I know. I've only known him a short time. There's something there, though. I've never felt like this before. It's like he completes me."

"Have you guys...ya know," she hinted, blushing suddenly.

Giggling, I nodded. "The night I last talked to you, and then again—a lot—this morning." I lowered my voice and almost whispered, "He's amazing."

Angela was as beet red as I'd ever seen her when she smiled and said, "Good. You deserve to be happy, Bella. That's all I want for you."

I leaned over and hugged her, murmuring a soft, "Thanks," in her ear before pulling away.

"So, have you and Ben set a date yet?"

She nodded. "I think we're going with the second Saturday in May of this next year. It's like we talked about before the move: I don't wanna do it when it's icky and cold outside, but having it before then would be pushing it. I did talk my dad into walking me down the aisle and just being my dad for the day. Associate Pastor Greg is gonna officiate. Ben's already asked Chris to be his Best Man, and you're gonna be the Maid of Honor." She paused, and we shared a smile. "Aside from that stuff, I've only done a little research so far."

Setting her wine down on the table, she stood and made her way to the small desk in the corner. When she came back, she handed me a stack of bridal magazines.

"The top one is the one I've marked the dresses I like, and the rest are things like flowers, cakes, colors, and that type of thing. Go through them if you want and give me your opinion, especially on the dresses."

I began flipping through the first magazine, pointing out a few dresses I liked, a few I hated, and some that were only okay. About three quarters of the way back, I came to one I thought was beautiful and perfectly Angela.

Pointing to the page, I said firmly, "This one."

The magazine called it a "Pick-up" dress; it was gathered over and over again, all around the dress, in four or five different levels, and fell to just above the ground. It was strapless, came in white or ivory satin, and included a ribbon accent at the waist that you could get in a multitude of colors.

"It's stunning, Ang."

She nodded, grinning. "It's one of my favorites. I'm going to David's Bridal to try it on next week."

"What colors are you thinking?"

Angela pulled one of the other magazines from my lap and began flipping through it, finally turning it toward me when she found the picture she'd been looking for.

Pointing to a picture of a wedding couple and their attendants, she said, "I love the dark red and deep blue combination. The blue dress would be fantastic on you. Ben and Chris could wear black suits with a cummerbund or vest in the same blue. Then the ribbon on my dress could be a deep red, which would be complimented by lots of red flowers."

"That sounds beautiful." I thought for a minute. "You know what would be great with those?"

She raised an eyebrow in question.

"Silver accents: candlesticks, tulle, napkins at the reception, and other things like that."

We talked color ideas for a few more minutes before moving on to the cake.

Just as I was beginning to look at pictures of the cakes Angela liked, my phone beeped, signaling an incoming message. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, flipped to the message list, and froze.

"Holy. Shit."

Angela laughed and asked, "What?"

Without saying a word, I turned the phone around and held it out to her.

She was quiet for a moment and then sucked in a breath. "Uh, yeah. Holy shit is right!"

We ogled the picture for several more minutes, and then I sent off a quick message of my undying gratitude to Alice and Rose before turning back to the stack of magazines in my lap.

I started flipping through one, looking at the cakes she'd marked. When I found the one I liked best, I turned it around to show her.

The cake was three round tiers, each progressively smaller. The smallest layer stood on little clear pedestals, making it sit about three inches above the next. There were red and silver piped swags around the top edge of each tier, overlaying each other. Between the top and second layers, there were beautiful red roses. A few miniature red roses were stuck in small groups around the edges of the other layers, as well as a few right on top. Added to the roses on top were two inter-locking silver metal hearts used as a cake topper.

"If you go with silver accents, this would be perfect. If you decide not to, you can have them make the second swag around each edge in the deep blue."

She nodded, tracing her finger over the hearts on the top of the cake. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

I agreed and then settled back with a different magazine, looking for the perfect wedding invitation.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

The minute we got to Alice and Jasper's apartment, Drill Sergeant Alice appeared. I almost laughed, remembering I'd thought the same thing about Bella when I'd helped her unpack her boxes, but one look at my sister, and I decided discretion was the better part of valor.

She and Jasper had almost everything boxed up, aside from a few odds and ends dishes and electronics. The guys and I got right to work packing up the computers and everything from the entertainment center, while Alice took Rose into the kitchen to help finish packing the dishes and cookware.

"Do _not_ break anything," Alice barked before leaving the living room.

Emmett pouted. "Why ya gotta look at me when you say that, huh?"

Jasper and I laughed when Alice just flipped him the bird.

"Dude, not cool!" He looked at Jasper. "You sure you wanna marry that little one? She's kind of scary."

"I heard that!" Alice yelled from the kitchen.

I snickered as Jasper nodded, a huge grin plastered on his face. "She's little and scary, but she's worth it."

Alice ran back in and flung herself into his arms. "You're worth it, too, Jazzy," she told him quietly, nuzzling his neck.

I looked away, suddenly feeling like I was intruding on a private moment.

"Now, back to work," she called as she flew back to the kitchen.

"Anytime you wanna get away, you can come stay at my place. I'll crash with Bella," I told him conspiratorially.

Emmett cackled as, wide-eyed, Jasper nodded. "Dude, she even scares me sometimes," he whispered.

"Seriously, man, congratulations," I said, clapping his shoulder. "You've been our brother for a long time. It's about time you made it official."

Emmett stuck his hand out to shake Jasper's. He tugged hard, pulling our soon-to-be brother-in-law against him, and lowered his mouth to Jasper's ear. Whispering just loud enough that I could hear, he said, "It's cool with me, man, but you ever hurt her, I'll kill you."

We all looked at each other for a moment and then laughed, knowing that even though Emmett's threat was serious, Jasper would never give him any reason to use it.

When Alice growled from the kitchen, we quickly got to work.

DVDs, games systems and their games, and all the cables from everything all went into several boxes. Jasper held up a hand and then moved quickly down the hall. A minute later, he was back, carrying the original box for their large, flat-screen TV. We carefully packed it back in the box, which included all the original Styrofoam.

Once all the electronics were packed, we began loading the truck. It was a nice day outside, but by the time we were halfway through loading the furniture, we were grimy and sweaty. All three of us pulled off our shirts and tossed them in an empty corner of the living room before getting back to work.

Alice and Rose went outside, carrying boxes of dishes, and were still out there when it was time for us to move the sofa. We struggled to get it through the front door and then made our way to the truck.

Just before reaching the ramp, Rose called out, "Hey, boys, look up!"

The three of us looked up in one motion, just as we heard the distinctive sound of a picture being taken from a cell phone.

"Thanks!" Alice chirped, grinning. "Bella will love that one, Edward."

I laughed, shaking my head as I watched the two of them hovered over the phone, sending the picture to Bella.

The girls met us inside with big glasses of water. We all collapsed on the floor, wiped out for the moment.

As we sat with our backs against the wall, I said what had been on my mind since learning of the freaky asshole at Bella's store the day before.

"I think I'm gonna pay to get an alarm system installed in Bella's place."

"Good idea, dude," Emmett said after draining his remaining water.

"Store or apartment?" Rose questioned.

"Both."

Alice nodded approvingly. "Good idea, Edward. I just have this feeling that won't be the last she sees of him."

"You gonna do it without asking her?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

With a sigh, I shook my head. "I suppose not. She won't want me to pay for it. I know that. And I know she has the money to do it. Maybe I'll just suggest it and say that I think it's a good idea..."

He nodded, and the girls smiled.

"I think that's better than just running over her and doing it without asking," Rose admitted. "I think she'd forgive you if you just jumped in without permission, but she's finally out on her own, making a go of it alone, that to take that away from her might upset her."

"Okay, I'll talk to her about it on the way home, then."

"Dude, you should call the place we used for the garage and the house," Emmett said, screwing up his features, like he was trying to remember something. "What was it called, Rosie?"

Rose shot him a look and rolled her eyes. "ADT, Emmett."

She turned her attention to me, and said, "Yes, I agree. They've been great. Easy to work with, decent prices, top-notch security. I don't think she'd have any problems with them."

I nodded. "'Kay. If Bella agrees, we'll call them Monday morning. Aside from lessons, I'm gonna take off work and let Sasha handle things until Bella gets a system installed and hires someone to work with her. Rose, I know you volunteered, but maybe you can help out when I've got lessons instead. I really just need to be there myself." I shrugged, trying to convey that it was me, not Rose herself, that was the issue.

"Sure. Whatever you and Bella need. Just let me know," Rose answered, smiling as if to let me know she hadn't taken offense.

We talked about nothing of importance for a few more minutes. After tossing the plastic cups we'd been drinking from, we began loading the last bit of furniture and boxes, while Alice and Rose did a last quick cleaning.

By half past four, everything was packed into the moving truck, Alice's Porsche, Emmett's Jeep, and Jasper's truck.

"Ed, you want us to wait for you?" Jasper asked as we moved out to the vehicles for the last time.

"Nah, I'm just gonna swing by, pick up Bella, and say goodbye to Angela and Ben. Then we'll head home. We'll drive over to the new place and help you unload."

Alice paused mid-way into the car. "I think we'll unload the cars today and leave the truck for tomorrow. All the electronics are in the Jeep, and all my jewelry and things like that are either in my car or the Jazzy's truck. Everything else can wait until tomorrow, when we have a longer stretch of time."

I nodded. "Okay. We'll meet you guys at the house, then. Drive safely."

Jasper smirked. "You, too. Don't mess up my truck, man. I'd hate to have to kill my future brother-in-law."

Laughing, I caught the keys he tossed at me and climbed into the cab.

I waved as they all turned right to head out of town, and then I turned left to drive the short distance to my Bella.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Sunday  
Bella's POV**

"Ugh," I groaned, pulling on my sneakers. "It's so early!"

Edward laughed as he stood by the door, watching me.

"What? It is! You weren't laughing thirty minutes ago when the whirling dervish herself called and woke us up," I snarked.

"Who me?" He fluttered his long, dark eyelashes—ones any woman would kill to have—and smiled innocently.

I rolled my eyes, snorting. "I think the exact words were, 'Kiss my ass, Alice,' before you rudely hung up on her."

"Yes, well, I had a perfectly legitimate excuse," he grumbled.

Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "What would that be?"

He quickly moved up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. Pulling me tight against his body so I felt every delicious—and hard—inch of him, he murmured into my ear, "I was in the middle of a very sexy dream, my love."

With every word of his explanation, he ground his hips against mine, rubbing his cock along the crack of my ass. Even through the layers of two pairs of jeans, I could feel him.

"One that involved you, me, and—"

Before he could finish, I turned in his arms and cut him off with a kiss.

Minutes later, we pulled away, breathless.

"Maybe we can just stay here," Edward said as he moved his hands down to cup my ass and pull me hard against his front.

I shuddered at the feel of him, so hard against where I wanted him most, and sighed, dropping my forehead to his shoulder.

"We can't," I said sadly. "Alice threatened me with a total wardrobe makeover if we weren't there in less than an hour."

I felt him shaking as he tried not to chuckle.

"Hey, don't laugh! I don't know when you last went shopping with your sister and Rose, but they're the devils incarnate when it comes to shopping. With them, it's not just a fun activity. It's not even a sport!" Pausing, I raised my head and stared him in the eyes before saying, "It's a fight to the death."

Edward couldn't hold it back any longer and let out a bark of laughter. Seeing the spark of humor in his eyes, I couldn't help but laugh with him.

"Okay, okay. I couldn't subject you to that, so let's get going."

"'Kay," I said, sighing.

As I moved to pick up my purse from the couch, I heard him mumble under his breath, "Not that being on time will stop the shopping Nazi from kidnapping you soon enough."

I stomped past him to the door, pretending like I hadn't heard, but laughed when he gave me that innocent, angelic expression again.

"Just for that, when she _does_ drag me with her, maybe I won't make a stop at Victoria's Secret."

His eyes widened, and he held up his hands in surrender. "You win!"

We laughed all the way to Edward's car.

When we got to Alice and Jasper's new house, we parked at the curb and walked up to the group. They were all sitting on the front porch, wearing matching grins and drinking big paper cups of coffee.

"I told you we should've stopped," I whined playfully, eyeing Alice's cup.

She hugged it to her protectively.

Rose set her cup beside her and reached around behind her back.

"We thought you guys could probably use this," she said, smiling as she handed us each a large cup of the hot brew.

"Oh damn, you're my hero," I told her.

The rest of the group just laughed.

"Sorry, but damn, Alice, it's only eight!" I checked my watch. "Okay, it's eight forty-five now. Still..."

"Bella, we have a lot of unpacking to do! I knew if I didn't call and wake you up—"

"Threaten me, you mean," I grumbled.

Alice smirked. "Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," she said, grinning. "Anyway, you guys wouldn't have made it over for hours, and you know it."

Edward slipped his arm around my waist and nuzzled my neck. "She's right, you know," he whispered, his warm breath caressing my ear.

Swallowing hard, I said, "Whatever."

I tried to be casual, but when I visibly shivered, she grinned and pointed at me, and I knew I'd been caught in a lie.

"Well, you're here now. That's what matters. We can start unloading everything. Yay!" She seemed so excited, it was hard not to laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Let's get our move on, people," Emmett called loudly, jumping up from the porch and sprinting off toward the truck.

Edward quirked an eyebrow and asked, "How many of those has—"

"Don't ask," Rose interrupted, rolling her eyes.

We all laughed as we set our coffees aside and made our way to the truck.

~*~CIBD~*~

Nearly three hours later, the vehicles were all unloaded and the rental truck was back at the lot, full of gas and none the worse for wear. Edward and the guys were in the living room, hooking up all the electronics. Alice, Rose, and I were in the kitchen, unpacking all the cookware and dishes.

When there was a lull in conversation, I brought up something that had been on my mind.

"I'm so nervous about meeting Carlisle and Esme," I said, my voice quiet.

The girls looked up from what they were doing and just stared at me.

A minute went by, and they hadn't said anything, so I tried again, my voice even more hushed this time. "I mean, what if they don't like me? What if Esme thinks I'm not good enough for her son?"

Alice moved over to me and took my hands. "Bella, my parents are two of the most caring people you'll ever meet. They'll love you just as much as all of us do. Between Edward, Emmett, and me, they've heard so much about you, and they already love you."

"Yeah, Bella, she's right," Rose interjected. "I've known them a long time. What they want more than anything for Edward is someone that makes him happy. You give him happiness in spades."

"Please don't worry, okay?" Alice grinned, pointing to her temple. "Trust me; I know these things."

I rolled my eyes at the notion of Alice being psychic, but smiled. "Thanks, guys. I'll try not to be too nervous, but I'm not making any promises. I mean, come on! I'll be meeting my boyfriend's parents for the first time!"

The sound of their giggles made me start laughing, and instantly, I felt much better about the idea. I felt the first fissure of excitement coursing its way through my body.

Suddenly, I couldn't wait until Friday.


	28. Chapter 28

**Bella's POV**

I woke up Monday morning in Edward's arms, and when I looked at the clock on the bedside table, I shrieked and flew out of the bed. The weekend had been so busy, we'd overslept.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward had nearly fallen off the bed when I screamed, and he was looking around the room, trying to figure out what had made me shout.

I was already rushing around, trying to gather up the clean clothes I'd brought over, as I answered. "We turned off the alarm. We both open in less than ten minutes," I cried, running into the bathroom. I didn't have time to shower, but I'd taken a quick one after getting back from Alice's new house yesterday, so just throwing on some deodorant should be okay.

As I had a normal morning moment, I heard Edward out in the bedroom, rummaging around in his dresser.

"Bella, lemme know when I can come in and do what I need to do, okay?"

I quickly finished and opened the door so he could come inside. "Lemme wash my hands and pull up my hair, and then the bathroom's yours," I told him, moving to the sink.

I was standing there with my hands under the water when he moved behind me. We were both naked, and when his cool hands slid around my waist and pulled me back against him, I nearly melted. He dipped his head and nuzzled my neck, his lips, teeth, and tongue teasing my skin.

Turning off the water, I spun in his arms until I faced him, my breasts pressing against his chest.

"Mmm, as much as I'd like to continue this—and I _would_ like to continue it—we both really need to hurry," I told him. "Rain check?" I nipped his bottom lip with my teeth, hoping to show him how much I really did wish we had more time.

As his hands moved down to cup my butt and pull me against him tighter, he murmured, "Rain check."

With a last kiss to my lips, he pulled away and moved beside me to pick up his comb. I grabbed my comb from the counter, carefully straightened out the tangles that had gathered overnight, and then smoothed it all out with a little hair stuff the guy who'd cut my hair had promised would keep it tamed.

"I'm going out to get dressed," I told him, grabbing the clothes on the counter between us.

Five minutes later, we were both dressed and hurrying down the steps between the apartments to the front doors of our shops. My phone was in my pocket, my keys in one hand, and the money bag in the other. Edward had his keys out as well.

At the bottom of the stairs, Sasha and Rose were standing near my door, chatting. They both looked up as we approached.

"Good morning, sunshines," Rose snickered. "Oversleep?"

Edward glared at her, but I just laughed and nodded. "I think we hit snooze four times. We just woke up ten minutes ago."

"Nice," she said, grinning.

"Yeah," I told her sarcastically. "Nice."

Rolling my eyes, I turned to Sasha. "Hi, Sasha. Don't be too hard on Mr. Grumpy-pants here. It was a long weekend!"

She laughed. "I won't." Turning to Rose, she said, "It was good to see you, Rose. Tell Emmett I said hello."

She grabbed Edward's keys and moved away toward his door.

"Here, Bella," Rose said. "Give me your keys and the bag, and I'll open up for you. You can get all mushy and say goodbye."

I smiled my thanks and handed them over before turning back and wrapping my arms around Edward's waist. He bent his head and kissed me softly.

"Have a good day, love," he said. "I'm sorry about being so late that we missed breakfast. I'll bring over lunch a little early, okay?"

I nodded my thanks. "Sounds good."

We spent several long minutes kissing, nearly forgetting that we were out in front of the stores, where anyone driving by could see us. When Rose banged on the window, laughing, we broke apart, breathing heavily.

"Go," I said, smirking and pointing toward his store. "I'll see you in a few hours."

Sighing, he smiled. "If I must." With a wink, he turned and walked to his own door, leaving me to walk the few feet to mine.

~*~CIBD~*~

Rose and I had been chatting and handling customers for almost two hours when my favorite customer, Mrs. Cope, walked in, carrying a handful of books.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cope," I said, smiling as she got up to the counter.

"Good morning, dear. Good morning...Rosalie, isn't it?" she asked, looking over at Rose, who was sitting in one of the chairs by the front window.

"Yes, Rosalie. Rose, if you'd prefer," Rose answered, smiling at the older woman.

"Rose," Mrs. Cope echoed, nodding. "It fits you—you're a lovely young woman."

Rose smiled again and murmured a thank you as Mrs. Cope turned back to me.

"Did you have a good weekend, Bella?" she asked, setting her books on the counter.

"We did, yes! Seattle was fun, and it was good to see my friends again."

I told her a little bit about the trip to Pike Place Market, including Jasper's proposal to Alice, which earned a laugh.

"That does sound like quite the whirlwind trip," she exclaimed. "Now, I did have another reason for this visit, aside from picking up some new books." She waited until I nodded to continue. "Have you thought about hiring someone to help with the store yet? I know you just opened a few weeks ago, but..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at me expectantly.

Rose smirked in the background as I nodded.

"I have, actually." Tapping my finger on a piece of paper resting between us on the counter, I told her, "I'm actually writing out an ad for the newspaper now."

"If you recall from our previous conversations, I used to work in the office at the high school, so I'm quite used to dealing with people and some of the business aspects. Now that my husband and I are both retired, he's underfoot all day, and I simply have to get out of the house or I'll go crazy!" She laughed fondly at the thought. "Anyway, I don't need the money, really. I just want to be able to get out of the house and do something I would enjoy." Shrugging, she continued, "What else could be better for me than working with books?"

I grinned and reached for the paper on the counter. Crumpling it into a ball, I tossed it into the trash can, held out my hand for Mrs. Cope to shake, and said, "You're hired!"

I left Rose out front to watch the store, and Mrs. Cope and I moved into my office to iron out the details.

Twenty minutes later, she handed me the filled out and signed forms and smiled. "So, I'll see you tomorrow at nine, then?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you then!"

I walked her out to the main room, and Rose and I waved as she left the shop.

"I take it that went well?" Rose asked with a smile as I moved to sit down in the chair across from her.

I nodded. "She starts tomorrow, so your exile to Book-land ends today," I teased. Turning serious, I said, "Thanks for being here, Rose. Really."

She shook her head and smiled. "It really was no trouble, Bella."

~*~CIBD~*~

At fifteen after eleven, Edward walked in, carrying two bags from the Greek restaurant a few blocks over. After kissing my cheek, he said, "Rose, Emmett called me earlier, and when I told him what I was planning to grab for lunch, he said to get the two of you something, too." He handed her one of the bags. "You can run this over to the garage and eat lunch with him if you'd like. I'll be here with Bella for a while."

She gave me a questioning look and smiled when I shooed her away. "Go," I said. "Give the big bear a hug for me."

With a thanks to us both, she took the bag and left the store, heading for her BMW parked at the curb.

Looking around to make sure we were alone, Edward wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him for a long kiss. When he finally pulled away, he leaned his forehead to mine and grinned. "Got time for a quickie?"

Laughing, I smacked his shoulder and shook my head. "Not today, sorry. Guess what," I said as he let me go to grab the chairs from my office.

He waited until we were sitting and beginning to pull the sandwiches and containers out of the bag before answering. "Hmm? What?" he asked, sliding my food to me.

"I hired someone to help out in the store!"

At his raised eyebrow, I told him about Mrs. Cope's offering and the details of the job.

"Sounds good, Bella. I'm glad you'll have someone to help you. I know Sasha's a God-send sometimes," he said, laughing.

Settling in to eat our lunch—an original Gyro for Edward and a chicken Gyro for me, as well as stuffed grape leaves and a small Greek salad for us both—we talked as we ate.

Thirty minutes later, the door chimed, and I looked up to see a man in jeans and a denim work shirt walk into the office. He was carrying a large box and a clipboard and looked around the store before walking to the counter.

The ADT man was right on time.

I stepped around the counter to greet the ADT installer, who offered me—and Edward, who was right behind me—his hand.

"You must be Bella Swan and Edward Cullen," he said smoothly. At our nods, he continued, "I'm Eric Davis." He handed us a card and showed us his driver's license. "I have you down for a system here and in the upstairs residence, right?"

"That's right," I answered. "Thanks for being able to get here so quickly. I had an unsettling customer last week, and Edward convinced me that a security system for both the store and my apartment would be safest."

Eric nodded. "He's absolutely correct. This system will keep you as safe as a security system possibly can." He smiled. "If you'll show me back to the office, we can get started."

"I'll stay down here and watch the shop while—"

Rose walked through the door, interrupting Edward. "I'll do it. I knew he was gonna be here, so I came back as soon as I finished lunch. You go with her, Ed. You know you'll wanna hear all about it."

I smiled gratefully at Rose and looked at Edward, who looked a bit relieved.

When he looked at me with a raised eyebrow, I nodded, and he turned back to his sister-in-law. "Thanks, Rose."

"This way, Eric," I said, turning back to the office.

As he began setting up, I thought back to the trip home from Seattle, when Edward had brought up the idea.

~*~CIBD~*~

"_Bella, Friday really scared me, and I know it scared you. I know you wanna be able to feel safe and secure in the store and upstairs, and right now, you really don't. Having an alarm won't guarantee your safety, but it will help deter most threats, when you're there and when you aren't."_

_I bit my lip, feeling conflicted. On the one hand, I was a grown woman, and I could take care of myself. On the other, Friday had really scared me too, and the fact that he was asking because it had worried him so much and he wanted to help protect me simply because he could had me softening to the idea._

_He looked nervous as he glanced at me for a moment before turning his eyes back to the road, and when he continued, his voice was soft. "I can't bear the thought of you being hurt—especially not when there was something I could do to help prevent it."_

"_Edward, I appreciate the thought. I really do."_

_Reaching over to take my hand, he asked softly, "Does that mean we can call tomorrow and get something set up for as soon as possible?"_

_Taking a deep breath, I blew it out and nodded. "If it's that important to you, it's okay with me."_

~*~CIBD~*~

He'd been so relieved that I hadn't argued. It had been obvious in the way his shoulders had relaxed and the tension that I'd apparently missed before had faded away. With the ADT guy here, I was even more sure of my decision to agree to his request because I knew within hours, everything would be more secure.

For the next two and a half hours, Edward and I followed Eric through the store to the office and then up the stairs to the apartment. By the time he was finished, my store and apartment had alarms, and we'd been given all the instructions needed for the operation and monitoring of the system. With a last final instruction and paperwork, he smiled and left the store.

"Be back in a few minutes," I told Rose, and then I took Edward's hand and pulled him into the office, closing the door behind us.

"Bella?" he asked and nearly fell over as I threw myself into his arms.

For several long minutes, he held me tight, not saying a word. I didn't really want—or need—to talk; I just wanted to be in his arms, and he seemed more than willing to hold me.

Finally, I pulled away and kissed him softly. "Thank you," I whispered against his lips.

"For what, love?"

"For caring enough about me to do this for me."

He shook his head. "No need for thanks, Bella. If it helps keep you safe, that's all the thanks I need."

I smiled shyly and held up a finger. "Hold on a second," I murmured, pulling away. I moved to my desk, opened the center drawer, and then went back to him and held out my hand. "Here. For you, if you'd like them."

When I opened my fist, two keys lay in the palm of my hand. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question.

"I, uh, had these made a few days ago and thought about giving them to you in a few days, but now seemed like a good time."

He took the keys in one hand and pulled my hand to his mouth, placing a kiss in the palm where the keys had been. Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out his keyring, and slid my keys on. Less than thirty seconds later, he held up two keys of his own toward me.

"I've had these for a few days, too. I thought it would scare you if I gave them to you," he said softly.

The grin on my face could've lit up a dark room, I was sure, and I tried to show him all the love I felt for him as I took the keys from his outstretched hand and slid them into the pocket of my jeans.

"Thank you...for everything. I love you, Edward," I said softly, reaching out to cup his face.

He kissed me instead of responding. His returned "I love you, too" warmed me from the inside, and I felt at peace as we walked back out to the store.

After a quick goodbye to Rose and a kiss to my lips, he left the bookstore, whistling softly.


	29. Chapter 29

**Edward's POV**

Wednesday was unseasonably warm for northwest Washington State. When Emmett called and said that he and Rose were going to work late that evening—working extra so they could take some time to spend with our parents that weekend—and asked if Bella and I would go over and feed the puppies, I quickly agreed.

"Do you mind if we use the pool?" I asked Emmett over the phone, smiling at Bella, who'd come over to my shop to eat lunch with me.

"Nah, not at all," he answered. "Even if it wasn't heated, with as warm as it is outside today, you'd probably be fine. I cleaned it last weekend, so it should be fine."

"Thanks, bro. We'll handle the dogs and lock up once we're finished if you aren't back yet."

"No problem. Tell Bella hi, and we'll see her for dinner tomorrow."

I smiled and covered the mouthpiece to give Bella his message.

She grinned and said, "Tell them hi."

"She said hi, Em," I told him, laughing when he grunted before hanging up.

"My brother's such a conversationalist sometimes," I remarked, draining the rest of my Coke.

Bella finished her bite of pasta salad and looked up at me, a worried expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked quickly. As far as I knew, she'd been fine until just now. I had no idea what could have changed.

"Your, um, parents will be here soon."

I nodded slowly, not following.

"What if they don't like me? I mean, we haven't been seeing—"

I stopped her before she could get any further. "They're gonna love you, Bella. I promise. You're smart, funny, caring, you like my siblings, and you love me. More importantly," I stressed, "you make me happy, and I love you. That's all they care about."

She nodded slowly. "I guess so. This is, um—I'm new at this. This is the first time I've met a guy's parents, so I guess I'm just not sure what to expect."

I laughed. "Well, you've met the rest of my family, yes?"

She nodded, raising an eyebrow in question.

"What kind of parents do you think could raise children like Alice, Emmett, and me and stay sane?" I raised an eyebrow in return, smirking when she laughed.

"That's a good question," she teased. "Are we _sure_ they're sane?"

"Not always," I said with a snort, "but most of the time, it's a pretty safe bet." Reaching across my desk, I took her hands in mine and squeezed gently. "Please, love, don't worry. I promise, you have nothing to fear."

Bella nodded slowly, still looking a bit unsure, before glancing up at the clock. "Oh! I'd better go. Mrs. Cope is only working half days still, through the end of the week, so I need to get back and let her go home." She smiled softly. "This was fun, Edward, and the pasta was delicious. Thank you for lunch."

I walked around the desk and pulled her into my arms. "It was my pleasure. I'll see you after work, and then we can grab some dinner to take over to Rose and Emmett's to eat while we play with the dogs and swim, okay?"

She nodded and then leaned up to kiss me. Her arms around me pulled me closer to her, and her fingers grabbed hold of the back of my T-shirt, fisting the fabric. She sighed into the kiss as I ghosted my fingers up her arms, over her shoulders, and buried them in her hair. I ached to deepen the kiss, needing more of her. When I brushed her lips with my tongue, she whimpered, and I took the opportunity to slide my tongue to meet hers as they began to dance and tease one another.

Finally, we broke apart, almost gasping for air. I leaned my forehead against hers, not wanting to lose contact.

"Fuck," she breathed, making me chuckle.

"Maybe later, love. Right now, though," I said, glancing over at the clock, "you'd better go."

I laughed when she squeaked her surprise and nodded. "Yeah, uh...yeah," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head as if to clear it. "See you later!" She quickly walked away, calling out a goodbye to Sasha, who was standing behind the counter, pretending to pay attention to anything besides what we'd been doing moments before.

"Let me clean up our lunch mess," I told Sasha, grinning back when she smirked at me, "and then I'll take over so you can grab your lunch, too."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

"Do you wanna eat first and then wait to swim, or swim now and eat after?" I asked Edward as we unloaded dinner onto counter in Rose's kitchen.

He looked thoughtful. "Well, if we swim now, it'll be plenty warm enough outside and in the water, and we might work up an appetite for after," he answered slyly.

"Edward, dear," I murmured with a coy smile, running my hand softly up his arm. "Are you planning on being naughty in the pool?"

Giving me an innocent look, he questioned, "Would I do that?"

"In a heartbeat," I replied with a laugh.

"Maybe," he retorted. Smirking, he gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before grabbing the containers of Chinese from the counter. "So, swim first, eat later?"

I giggled, nodding. "I'll go let the dogs out. Let's play with them first."

"Sounds good. I'll get their food ready while you wait to let the monsters in again."

I made my way to the back door, Teeny and Cindy following behind me obediently. I let them outside and watched as they both immediately moved to the side of the yard to do their business before coming back to the door to be let inside.

"Good puppies," I crooned softly as I let them in again. "You babies ready for dinner?"

They gave excited yips and raced off to the kitchen. I followed, laughing when I got to the kitchen to see them each already at their separate bowls, scarfing down their food.

"Apparently, they were hungry," Edward said dryly. "Let's get changed, and by the time we're ready to go outside, the dogs'll be finished. We can play with them out in the yard before getting into the pool. Sound okay?"

I nodded. "Sounds perfect."

Grabbing the new swimsuit I'd bought when Alice and Rose had taken me shopping, I headed down the hall to the bathroom. It didn't take me long to change, and I looked myself over in the mirror before going back to meet Edward. I knew I looked okay. Alice had helped me pick it out. It was a midnight blue Tommy Bahama two-piece, with a metal ring connecting the two pieces of the top between my breasts. The bottoms—which had matching metal rings on each hip—made my ass look fantastic, and although I didn't have breasts as ample as Rose, I wasn't as small as Alice, either. The bikini top fit me perfectly, cupping them and holding them up and in place like it should. The blue color against my skin was pretty, and since Edward seemed to like it when I was in any shade of blue, I knew he was sure to like this one.

On my way back through the kitchen, I grabbed the towels we'd brought and then walked into the living room, where Edward stood by the door, holding Teeny and talking to both dogs.

When he heard me come into the room, he turned and his eyes darkened like they always did when he was aroused. He set the dog down and came over to me, looking me over from head to toe.

"You look stunning, love," he murmured, pausing at my chest.

I tried not to laugh when he didn't say anything more or look away, but my effort was futile. A giggle escaped me, followed by a second when even that didn't pull his attention away from my breasts. Finally, I reached out a hand and, with a single finger on his chin, tilted his head up until he was looking me in the eyes.

He shook his head slightly, his eyes focusing again, and I giggled a third time when he blushed a deep red.

"Sorry." He chuckled. "You, uh, look great."

Grinning, I said, "Thanks. You don't look half bad yourself, mister."

And he didn't. His black cargo trunks hung to just above his knees and had white piping down the sides and a white drawstring. He'd left off his shirt, so I had the perfect view of his wide shoulders, strong chest, narrow waist, and the oh-so-yummy vee that disappeared under the band of his suit.

"Shall we, or do you need another minute?" he teased, interrupting my perusal of his nearly naked body.

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry." I laughed even as my cheeks heated. "Look, it's the vee!" My eyes followed my fingers as they traced down one side of the muscles that formed the vee under his waist, across the top of the trunks, and up the other side of the dips.

"Behave," he chided, taking my hand in his and leading me to the door. The twinkle in his eyes gave away his amusement, though, so I wasn't too worried about being out of line. When he winked, I knew I'd been right.

Edward opened the door, and the dogs raced ahead of us out into the backyard. He immediately grabbed the tennis ball for Cindy and the smaller ball Emmett had bought for Teeny and threw them across the yard for the dogs to chase after. Emmett kept the lawn neat and clean, so I spread the towels down on the grass a bit away from the play and sat down, stretching out to bask in the rare sunshine to watch them play.

When Teeny came trotting up with his ball—which I discovered was about the size of a small hacky sack—and dropped it at my feet, I picked it up and tossed it for him to run after again. Edward was standing near me, playing fetch with Cindy and her tennis ball. We threw the balls for almost fifteen minutes before both dogs trotted over to the water bowl.

Edward moved to me and held out his hand. "Come on, love, let's swim."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

Bella grabbed my hand with one of hers, held onto the towels with the other, and allowed me to pull her into a standing position. I wrapped an arm around her waist, and we walked over to the gate in the fence surrounding the pool.

Rose had insisted that they put in a wrought iron fence when they put in the pool so they wouldn't have to worry about it later when they had children. Of course, they knew now that she couldn't have children, but she insisted it was still a good thing. They'd need it for all the nieces and nephews Alice and I were going to have for them to spoil rotten.

Bella tossed the towels down on one of the chairs off to the side of the pool and then stopped when I began pulling her to the edge of the deep end.

"Nuh-uh," she said adamantly, shaking her head. "You can get in that way. I'm gonna walk down the stairs like a sensible person and acclimate myself to the water."

She laughed when I just shook my head and smirked. I gave her a quick kiss, let go of her hand, and dashed to the edge, throwing myself into the water in the cannonball position. Even underwater, I heard her shriek as the water came out of the pool, splashing her.

I surfaced, laughing and pushing my hair back and out of my face, and watched as Bella glared and then continued to the steps at the end of the pool.

"Come on, love," I called. "It's not too cold, I promise."

"Says the crazy man who just splashed me," she grumbled, but her answering grin let me know she wasn't angry.

Bella took her time stepping down into the water, and by the time she reached the bottom step and sank down until the water was chest high, I was beside her.

"See?" I said. "It's not that bad."

"Fine," she admitted. "It's not that bad."

I laughed and pulled her to me, giving her a wet kiss. "Swim with me?" I asked.

She nodded, and before I could blink, she'd ducked under the water and pushed off the step behind her, propelling herself farther into the pool. I beamed with pleasure and began swimming to catch up.

We played for half an hour, racing back and forth, floating as we talked, diving to the bottom of the deep end for some of the pool toys Emmett kept beside the pool, and just having a good time. Bella kept brushing against me throughout our play, and beneath my trunks, I was hard as a rock. When she suggested we race one more time, I agreed, and on the count of three, I took off.

I didn't notice that she wasn't with me until I was almost to the end of the pool. I stopped and looked back, noticing that she was in the same place she'd been in when I started racing.

"Everything okay?" I called to her.

"Mmhmm," she answered. "Come back, Edward..."

Her tone was suggestive, almost purring. It sent my dick into overdrive, and although I'd have said it was impossible, it got even harder. What did my little minx have up her sleeve now?

When I swam up to her, I looked down through the clear water and realized she was completely naked. While I'd been racing to the other end of the pool, she'd been stripping.

"Fuck," I hissed, reaching down to adjust myself as my cock throbbed.

Giggling, she asked, "Problem?"

I growled, grabbed her hand, and gently placed it over my cock in my swim trunks.

Her giggling cut off, and the amusement on her face was replaced with lust and heat. "Take them off," she pleaded.

The pleading tone was unnecessary; I was unable to deny her anything. I wasted no time in tugging the trunks off and tossing them up on the side of the pool.

I was already worked up from having Bella naked and pressed against me, not to mention the constant state of arousal I seemed to be in around her. When she began to stroke me and play with my balls, I had to work to keep from spilling myself into her hand. As much as I enjoyed that—and I _did_ always enjoy it—I wanted to feel her around me more.

I reached between us and stilled her hand on my cock with mine, capturing her lips in a quick kiss before actually removing her hand. "I wanna be inside you, Bella," I said, my voice husky with all my pent-up desire.

She nodded, her breathing heavy, as I moved us up to the steps of the pool. Planting myself on a step high enough that the water came to my waist, I pulled Bella onto my lap so she was straddling me. Her hands came to rest on my shoulders, and then she slowly lowered herself until I slid fully inside her.

"Fuck," I growled softly, feeling her stretch to accommodate me.

She moaned in response, her body tightening around my erection.

With one hand on her hips and the other buried in her hair, I helped control the pace at which she rode me. I tugged her forward until she was leaning up, close enough to capture each other's breath, but not yet touching. She whimpered until I leaned forward myself and captured her lips with mine.

The kiss started off slow and gentle, our lips and tongues moving at the same rate as the slow rolling of her hips. When we finally broke apart for air, I began trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down her neck, to the curve of her breast.

Her nipples were puckered from being exposed to the air, and she gasped as I closed my lips around one taut little nub. I moved my hand from her hair, trailing my fingers across her smooth skin until I reached her other breast. After weighing the round fullness in my palm for a moment, I tweaked the nipple, rolling it between my thumb and forefinger. Bella's movements faltered as my teeth tugged once at her nipple before kissing my way back up to her neck, where I attached my lips to the soft skin under her ear.

I could feel the heat of my impending orgasm, so I moved my hand from her breast to her clit, desperately wanting Bella to come with me. I sucked softly at the skin under my lips and then moved up to her ear and murmured, "Come for me, love," as I repeated the same rolling motion on her clit as I'd done to her nipple.

Almost instantly, Bella cried out as her orgasm hit her hard and fast. "God, Edward!"

Her body was shaking, squeezing around me. Her cries and heavy panting, combined with her hands now tugging my hair, brought my own orgasm rushing to the surface. With a roar, I gave one final thrust of my hips and came hard inside her.

When we could breathe again, Bella began giggling. I must've been looking at her funny, because she explained, "I can't believe we just had sex in Rose and Emmett's pool! Rose is gonna kill us."

I laughed and said, "Baby, if you think we're the only ones to have done this, you're sorely mistaken. I guarantee all three couples have had their turn out here now. I wouldn't have put it past them for my parents to have done it, as well."

"Still!" she exclaimed, blushing a bright red. "Oh shit, we have got to get outta here before they come home and find us like this."

Still chuckling, I carefully pulled Bella from my lap, and we both groaned softly as I slid out of her.

Bella moved as quickly as she could up the steps and over to the towels, tucking one around her. "I'm going inside to clean up and change clothes!"

She was off before I could say a word, leaving me standing there, dripping wet, with a towel in one hand and my trunks in the other.

I shook my head, laughing, as I grabbed her swimsuit and made my way inside. When I got to the door, I whistled for the dogs, and once they were in, I stepped inside, closed and locked the back door, and headed for the other bathroom to do the same.

~*~CIBD~*~

When Bella walked into the kitchen, re-dressed in the jeans and T-shirt she'd worn over to the house, I already had our dinner in the microwave and a Coke for each of us on the table, along with plates, forks, and napkins. She gave me a kiss as she passed and sat down at the table just as the microwave dinged.

We were quiet until all of the food had been dished out, and then she said, "Hey, can you do me a favor tomorrow when you pick up your parents?"

Swallowing my bite of Chow Mein, I said, "Of course. Anything."

"I have a box of books from the store I've been saving up for Charlie. Mostly westerns, but a few history and true crime novels, too," she explained. "Could you drop them off to him before you come back home?"

Nodding, I replied, "Sure, I can do that. I'll stop by the station on my way back out of town."

She smiled her thanks, and we continued eating, but my mind was racing. I'd been meaning to have a chat with Bella's dad, so this was the perfect opportunity.

Suddenly, Bella wasn't the only one worried about a parental visit...


	30. Chapter 30

**Edward's POV**

My watch alarm beeped at the ungodly hour of two thirty in the morning. I hurriedly shut it off so it wouldn't wake Bella. She was asleep in the bed beside me; we'd spent last night in her apartment. I'd tried to tell her I would just stay at mine so I wouldn't wake her in the morning when I got up, but she'd insisted on me remaining put. My concession was that we stayed at her place, so once I'd left, she'd still have the alarm.

Rubbing a hand over my face, I sat up and carefully climbed out of bed to throw on my shorts and T-shirt. I planned to run back to my apartment to shower and change. I needed to be on the road by three, so I had about thirty minutes. Plenty of time to get ready and grab some coffee.

I'd slipped on my shorts and was pulling my shirt over my head when Bella stirred.

"Mmm, E'ward," she mumbled. She sat up and tucked the blanket under her arms, trying to ward off the chill of the early morning air.

"Yeah, baby," I said quietly. "I'm just about to leave."

"Sure you do'wan comp'ny?" Her voice was slurred with sleep, and she looked adorably rumpled.

I chuckled softly. "I'm sure, love." I moved around the bed and kissed her once, gently nudging her shoulder. "Get some sleep, Bella. You've still gotta open the store in a few hours."

"'Kay," she replied. "Call me. Drive sa—" She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand before continuing. "Drive safely."

"I will." I tucked the blanket back around her snugly. "I'll set the alarm on my way out. Love you, Bella."

Her "Love you too" came out soft and sleepy.

I had no doubt she was already asleep by the time I'd closed the door.

~*~CIBD~*~

I pulled into the short-term parking at the Sea-Tac Airport around five thirty. Being so early in the morning, it wasn't nearly as busy as I'd seen it in the past, so finding a space to park and then navigating foot traffic to wait just inside the airport was easy. I made my way inside and decided to grab another cup of coffee while I waited. I had a feeling that would be a staple in my diet today. Otherwise, I'd fall asleep before noon. I ordered a large hazelnut-flavored coffee and a muffin, buying a newspaper at the same time, and then made my way to just outside of Baggage Claim, where I settled down to wait.

I'd just finished my coffee when the information for my parents' flight updated to show that their plane had arrived. I tossed my trash in the garbage can at the end of my row of seats, stuck the rolled up newspaper in my back pocket, and began to pace. It had been six months since I'd seen my parents, and even though I knew I shouldn't be, I was nervous. The only reason I could think of was Bella. I really didn't want to be grilled by my mother about her, even though I knew it would be done with the most loving of intentions.

Ten minutes later, a group of people began streaming out of Baggage Claim, heading to the exits. I didn't have to wait long before I heard, "Edward!" I turned just in time to see my parents, huge smiles on their faces, making their way toward me.

I met them halfway and found myself enveloped in a hug like only a mother could give as soon as she dropped the luggage she'd been pulling.

"Hi, Mom," I said, returning her hug. "It's good to see you."

I heard her sniffle and felt her arms tighten around me for a moment before she released me.

"I'm so glad to see you, honey," she said, looking me over. She brushed a piece of imaginary lint off my jacket and straightened my collar. "Have you been eating? You look too thin, Edward! I told your sisters to make sure you ate—"

My dad interrupted her, teasing, "Esme, sweetheart, slow down. Let me say hello before you start fussing." He wrapped me in his own hug, patting my back a few times as he said to me, "It _is_ good to see you, son. Humor your mother; she worried so much about you kids the entire time we were gone."

"Okay, okay, my turn again," Mom said, pulling me out of my dad's arms. "Tell me all about your Bella! Oooh, can we stop in Port Angeles so I can meet her?"

I laughed; Mom wasn't known for wasting time. "Mom, let's get going, okay? I'll tell you about her in the car, I promise."

My dad looked like he might pass out from holding back his laughter as he said, "And no, Esme, we will _not_ stop in Port Angeles. Let the poor girl sleep. You'll meet her tomorrow."

She huffed, but nodded her acquiescence, letting me grab the two suitcases she'd been pulling. My dad handed her the carry-on bag he'd been holding, leaving him with just his own two suitcases. As I led them out of the airport to the car, she began telling me a little about their flight, ending with a story about their seatmates.

"We sat in the same row as this adorable little girl and her mother. She was only six years old, we found out later. We were worried when we first boarded that it would be an extra long flight, having to ride with a child, but she was an angel. Her mother had packed her plenty of things to do to keep her occupied, and she slept a lot of the flight."

I made the appropriate noises to show I was listening and had to contain my laughter when I looked at my father, who just rolled his eyes and smiled as she continued to talk.

"It was better than our flight there, that's for sure. I was never more glad to be away from someone than I was from that rude man we sat next to on that flight!" She glanced at me. "I wrote to you about that, didn't I, Edward?"

"Yes, I remember," I assured her. "Okay, here we go." I clicked the button to open the trunk and, with my dad's help, began to load the luggage.

All but one suitcase and the carry-on bag fit in the trunk, and the leftovers we put in the back seat.

"I'll sit back here, since I'm smaller," my mom said, climbing in behind the passenger seat as soon as I unlocked the car.

After a quick stop for coffee, we were on the road again. As soon as we all piled back into the car, my mom began peppering me with questions about "my Bella." The three and a half hour car ride to Forks seemed to fly by. I told them all about how I'd first met Bella—even though they'd been told over the phone shortly after it happened—about our first date, about the creepy guy at Bella's shop and the subsequent alarm system, and answered about a hundred questions about our relationship and about Bella herself.

About twenty minutes from Forks, "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison sang out from my cell phone, signaling an incoming call from Bella. I grabbed my Bluetooth and stuck it on my ear, pressing the button to answer the call.

"Good morning, Bella," I said, smiling at the quiet squeal from the back seat.

"Hey," she murmured. "Did your parents get in okay?"

"They did," I answered. "We're just about to Forks."

"Okay, well, I just wanted to say hi and good morning. I'll let you get back to driving. Call me before you head home?"

I smiled and nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "I will. Have a good morning at the store, and be sure to call Rose and Emmett if you need them, okay?"

"Thanks, I will," she promised. "Talk to you later, Edward."

"Bye, sweetheart," I said, waiting until I heard her echoing goodbye before clicking off the phone and pulling my ear piece off.

My mom was practically vibrating. "I can't wait to meet her, Edward," she said excitedly. "From everything you've told us, she sounds lovely. And you seem so happy. It's good to see that."

Nodding from the passenger seat, my dad agreed. "She's right, son. It's good to see you so happy."

"Thanks," I replied softly, smiling at the thought of Bella.

By the time we pulled into their house, my parents were ready to get out of the car, and I was anxious to head back to Port Angeles. I helped them unload their luggage and then hugged them both.

"So we'll see you at Alice and Jasper's new house tomorrow night, right?" I asked as my mom gave me an extra long hug.

"We'll be there, Edward," my dad promised as he pried my mom away from me. "Drive safely, son."

"Please, tell Bella hello for me," my mom said, wrapping her arm around my father's waist.

I promised I would and then climbed back into my car and began backing down the driveway until I could turn around. I watched in the rearview mirror as my parents waved goodbye to me before they turned and walked into the house.

Next stop...Charlie's.

~*~CIBD~*~

I drove the nearly three miles to the police station, parking in one of the designated visitors' spots. I grabbed the box of books from the floorboard in the back seat and then made my way inside the station.

"Edward Cullen?" A shrill voice just as I entered made me look up in surprise. There, behind the desk, was a girl I'd gone to high school with.

Lauren Mallory looked...the same, yet different, than the last time I'd seen her. She was still blond, although I could tell now that it was definitely from a bottle; her roots were showing. She'd gained some weight, which wouldn't normally be a big deal, but she also looked like she'd been "rode hard and put away wet," as Emmett liked to say. She was definitely trying too hard.

"Hello, Lauren," I said, glancing around. "Chief Swan available?"

Lauren batted her obviously fake eyelashes and smiled, showing off teeth stained from smoking too many cigarettes. "How've you been, Edward? I never see you anymore, what with you having moved to...Seattle, right?"

"Umm, Port Angeles, actually," I muttered before I'd really thought about not wanting to tell the woman in front of me where I was living. "The Chief?"

"Oh, sure, he's in." She pointed to the right. "His office is right down the hall. You can go on back."

"Thanks." I nodded once and then turned the corner to head to Charlie's office.

"Oh, and Edward?" Lauren called. "Stop by and see me before you leave. Maybe we can go get something to drink before you go home."

Inwardly, I cringed, thinking I'd rather face Charlie and tell him I was having sex with his only daughter than get drinks with Lauren Mallory. I acted like I hadn't heard her and continued walking.

When I got to the end of the hall, I saw Charlie sitting behind a desk inside his office. His head was down, and he was flipping through some papers, so he didn't notice me right off. I knocked on the door frame and smiled when he looked up.

"Hey, Edward," Charlie said in greeting. "What brings you by?"

"I brought my parents home from the airport, and Bella wanted me to drop off this box of books for you," I told him, holding up the small box of westerns I'd brought.

"Ah, great, great," he said. "You can set them down there by the door, and I'll grab them on my way home tonight. Are you heading back to Port Angeles now?"

I nodded, but then paused. "Actually, sir, I'd like to speak privately to you, if you have a moment."

He raised an eyebrow, quiet for a moment, and then gestured to the door. "Sure, son. Close the door and have a seat."

I set the box down and closed the door quietly before taking a seat in one of the chairs across from Charlie.

"Now, what can I do for you?" he asked, folding his hands across his middle as he relaxed back against his chair. There was a smirk on his face, like he knew exactly what was on my mind.

"I'm sure you know already from speaking with Bella," I began, "that she and I have been seeing each other."

Charlie nodded. "Yes, she's mentioned it several times."

"Well, umm..." I paused, suddenly even more nervous than I'd already been.

"Spit it out, son," Charlie said, still smirking.

I cleared my throat and nodded. "I love your daughter, sir," I told him frankly. "I know we haven't been together long, but I know she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I would like your permission to ask her to marry me. I'm thinking around Christmas. I would ask bef—"

Charlie interrupted my babbling with a chuckle. "Breathe, Edward," he said calmly. When I swallowed and took a deep breath, he continued. "Now, son, I'm sure you've noticed, but my daughter's a grown woman. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't control her love life. I couldn't when she was a teenager; I certainly can't now."

I nodded. "I realize that, sir. I guess I should've said I would like your blessing, rather than your permission."

For several long, stress-filled minutes, we sat in silence. I watched Charlie, who was watching me, a hand stroking his bushy mustache, lips pursed. As the minutes ticked by, my palms started to sweat, and I could feel my heart pounding.

Just as I was getting ready to speak, to try to convince Charlie to give his blessing, he spoke. "Well, Edward, I suppose if I had to pick someone to marry my daughter, a man who loves her and takes care of her like you do would be at the top of my list." He smiled then and stuck his hand out across the desk. "You have my blessing, son. Just keep her happy, that's all I ask."

I let out the breath I'd apparently been holding and reached out to shake his hand. "Thank you, sir."

We visited for a few more minutes, making plans to have him and Sue up for a family dinner one night soon, before I glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Oh! I need to go," I said, standing. "I need to be back at work this afternoon for a little girl's first piano lesson."

"Drive safely," Charlie said, shaking my hand once more.

"By the way," I started, opening the office door and looking down the hall. "Is there a back way out of this place?"

Barking a laugh, Charlie nodded and said, "Follow me. You can go out the side door and then around to the front."

I smiled my thanks and followed him down the hall, away from the front desk and Lauren Mallory.


	31. Chapter 31

**Bella's POV**

I sat beside Edward in his Volvo on the way over to Alice and Jasper's house for the family's weekly Friday dinner. My fingernails were digging into the skin of my palms, and I was so nauseous that I was afraid I might have to have Edward pull the car over so I could throw up what little I'd had to eat all day.

"Bella, calm down," Edward said softly, reaching over to take one of my cold hands in his warm one. "I've told you...my parents already love you."

I caught him glancing at me from the corner of my eye as I stared down into my lap.

"Really," he continued. "Alice has done nothing but sing your praises, and from her conversations with me, my mom knows how happy you make me. That's what's most important to them. So please, try not to damage yourself."

He chuckled as I glanced down at my free hand and gasped. Unclenching my fist, I realized I had four perfect half-moon impressions on the inside of my hand from where my nails had dug in.

"I didn't realize," I murmured, rubbing my palm against my thigh. My hand hadn't been stinging until Edward had pointed out what I was doing to myself, but now, it was hurting almost as bad as the time I stepped on a bumble bee with sandals on and got stung on the side of my foot.

By the time we pulled up in front of the house, the sting was gone and I'd calmed down enough that I wasn't completely worried about throwing up.

Edward grabbed the beer we'd bought and ran around to open my door. He held out his hand, and when I took it, we walked casually up the stone path to the door.

I started to reach for the doorbell, but he just shook his head. "Go ahead and open the door, Bella," he prompted. "They're expecting us."

Swallowing nervously, I just nodded and knocked once—it was against my nature to just walk in without at least some sort of warning—and then turned the knob so we could go inside.

Edward let go of my hand and moved his to my lower back, guiding me across the threshold, into the open entryway. He turned slightly to close the door behind him, and I froze, unable to move until he was with me.

Just as he turned back around, a casually, but well-dressed woman walked around the corner. She was drying her hands on a dishtowel hanging over the edge of an apron, which was tied around her waist. Of course, I'd seen pictures of his parents, so I knew immediately that it was his mother. But even if I hadn't, from the color of her hair—a mixture of Edward's bronze locks and Emmett's darker brown—and the green of her eyes—a perfect match to the man beside me—the woman in front of us couldn't have been anyone other than Esme Cullen.

"Bella!" she cried happily. "It's so good to meet you finally." She quickly moved to where we stood right inside the door.

The smile on her face was catching, and I found myself echoing her expression as I held my hand out. "It's good to meet you finally as well," I told her sincerely.

I was shocked when, ignoring my hand, she pulled me into a warm hug. The embrace only lasted seconds, but I could feel the motherly warmth radiating from her, and I instantly felt as ease.

She released me and turned to Edward. "Hello, Edward," she said warmly, opening her arms for him.

He walked into the hug, his hold almost fierce, as he told his mother hello.

"Well, come on," Esme said, leaving one arm around Edward and wrapping her other arm around my shoulders. "Carlisle's in the kitchen with the rest of the kids."

"Mom," Edward replied with a chuckle, "we haven't been kids in years."

We heard Rose squeal and Emmett's booming laugh from the kitchen, and I chuckled when I looked over and watched Edward roll his eyes.

"Well, all of us but Emmett," he clarified.

Esme walked us into the kitchen, where everyone stood at different stations, already prepping for dinner. Alice and Jasper were sitting at the table, with big piles of chopped red and green bell peppers in front of them. Rose was standing at the island, slicing mushrooms into perfectly even slices. Emmett was beside her, tears streaming down his face as he tried blindly to wipe them away while he chopped onion. We watched as he reached out and swiped a mushroom slice, earning another growl from his wife.

Edward's father pulled away from the counter where he'd been shredding a block of cheese and walked over to us with a smile on his face. "Bella, it's good to meet you. We've heard so many good things about you from all our children. Edward couldn't stop talking about you on the drive to Forks yesterday."

I laughed as Edward shook his head, his cheeks turning pink. "It's good to meet you, too, Dr. Cullen."

He gave me a warm smile. "Call me Carlisle, please."

"Okay, enough chitchat," Alice barked, pulling a tray out from behind her on the counter. She pulled off the kitchen towel to reveal four smooth, rounded balls of pizza dough. "Every couple come get some dough and spread out some cornmeal on an empty spot."

Edward led me over to the sink after setting the beer down on the counter. We washed up quickly before grabbing our ball of dough and a handful of the cornmeal. Together, we worked at shaping the dough in a somewhat round shape—I wouldn't exactly call it a circle—and began talking about what toppings we wanted on our pizza.

We spread sauce over the entire thing and then added chopped ham, onion, black olives, both kinds of peppers, and a combination of mozzarella and pepper jack cheese. When Emmett asked Alice if she had any pineapple, we looked up and grimaced.

"That's just nasty," Edward said to his brother.

"What? It's good!" Emmett claimed, and Rose nodded her agreement.

"No," Alice said firmly, a shiver racking her small frame. "Just...no."

"Dude," Jasper said with his own shiver, "fruit and pizza do _not_ mix."

Emmett scoffed, shaking his head as he added jalapenos to his pie.

When all four pizzas were in the oven, Jasper set the timer, while Alice got out the ingredients to make drinks. Five minutes later, we all settled down in the living room with our drinks. The guys were drinking the Peroni beer—Alice had insisted Edward bring something Italian—and the other girls and I were drinking Peach Bellinis.

I whispered to Edward, "When they do family dinners, they go all out on themes, don't they?"

He smirked and nodded before taking another pull of his beer.

Esme took a sip of her Bellini and then turned to me, a warm smile on her face. "Bella, Edward told us all about your bookstore. How do you like being a small business owner?"

Edward threaded his fingers through mine and looked over at me with a smile.

I smiled back at him before answering. "I love it," I said honestly. "It's been a lot of work, but I'm getting to do what I want, and that's worth all the hassle. Your kids were all a lot of help to me when I first opened."

"Have you always wanted to own a bookstore?" Carlisle asked, a curious expression on his face.

Nodding, I answered, "I've always loved books and reading. I hadn't actually planned on doing this. I didn't have the money." I looked down, taking a sip of my drink to give myself a moment. When Edward squeezed my hand gently, I looked over at him and smiled before continuing. "When my mother and stepfather were killed, I inherited enough money from Phil and from their life insurance to buy the store."

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Esme cooed with empathy, frowning softly. "My own mother died when I was fifteen, so I do understand what you went through."

Everyone was quiet for a moment until Rose cleared her throat and turned to Carlisle and Esme. "How was your time overseas?"

Carlisle chuckled when Esme launched into stories about some of the children and families they'd helped while in Haiti. She spoke animatedly until the timer dinged in the kitchen, and then we all made our way back into the kitchen for dinner.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

After we finished dinner and cleaned up—which was a relatively easy task, considering most of the cleanup had happened as the prep work was done—Alice asked, "Trivial Pursuit, anyone?"

"I call Bella," I said immediately, pulling her to my side and wrapping my arm around her waist.

"No way," Rose huffed, shaking her head. "Girls versus guys. With Bella, we're even. No more four against three."

Bella grinned and kissed my cheek. "Sorry, but I gotta side with the ladies on this one. You're going down!" she teased.

With eight of us working, it took no time at all to get the game set up at the dining room table. Bella, Alice, and Rose sat on one side of the long table, while Emmett, Jasper, and I sat across from them. Mom sat at the end, with Bella on her left and me on her right, leaving the other end for Dad, between Rose and my brother.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen," Alice said, handing out the two containers of questions. "Each team gets one box. Mom, do you wanna be in charge of the pie pieces? And you and Dad can ask the questions. You won't let the boys cheat that way." She smirked, looking across the table at our brother, who raised he hands in an "I'm innocent" gesture.

When our parents agreed, Alice handed our mother the little baggy containing the smaller pieces for the game and one set of cards, while the other half was passed down to the other end of the table.

"Okay, ladies, since I chose the game, we get to choose our player piece." Alice smirked and looked at Bella. "Cappuccino cup?"

Bella nodded, laughing when I winked at her.

Esme laughed softly. "Like your coffee, Bella?"

She held up her thumb and pointer finger and answered, "Just a little bit."

I reached across the table and snagged the musician with the guitar from the table in front of Alice. "This is ours."

Alice rolled her eyes and said, "Surprise, surprise. Like that isn't what you choose every time."

Shrugging, I smirked, not ashamed of my choice in the slightest.

"I've never played this version," Bella said, looking around the game board. "What are the categories?"

"This is the '90's Edition," I said, "so the categories are slightly different." I grabbed the instructions Alice held out to me. "Pink is Oops: all about the mistakes and mishaps that made the headlines. Yellow is Wired: all about technology, gadgets, and the Internet. Brown is Viewing: all about movies, television, and things we watched during the 1990s. Orange is Trends: all about food and fashion. Green is Important: all about real news. The last is blue, which is Hangin': all about what people did in their leisure time, like games, sports, reading, and the like."

"Got it," Bella said with a nod, but then she smirked. "Just in case, though, keep that paper handy."

"Are we ready yet?" Emmett asked, looking around at everyone. When we nodded, he slid the single die down the table. "Since Bella's new, and because we're such gentlemen—" he glared as everyone else at the table snickered "—we'll let you roll to see who plays first."

Bella rolled a four and then handed me the die. I rolled a three and looked up to see her grinning at me.

"All right. Ladies first, thanks to my brother," Em grumbled.

Bella grinned cheekily at him before taking the die from me and rolling again.

When it landed on five, Alice, in the middle of the group and closest to the middle of the board, picked up their game piece. "What color?"

"Brown," Rose said immediately.

The others shrugged, so Alice found the correct square and moved their cup to it.

My father pulled out the first card and read, "What _Star Wars_ character was digitized atop the costumed antics of actor Ahmed Best?"

I nearly laughed out loud when all four faces looked blank.

When everyone else shrugged, Rose said, "C-3PO."

"Bzzzt, wrong," Jasper told them, shaking his head. "Edward's favorite, Jar Jar Binks." When we all looked at him, and then my dad—who nodded—and then back to him, Jasper said, "What? I read about it somewhere recently."

"Nerd," Emmett said through a cough, earning a punch in the shoulder from Jasper and a laugh from everyone else.

Bella passed the die to me, and I rolled a six, cringing at Emmett's loud whoop of joy. I moved our piece to the blue space. If we answered correctly, we'd have our first piece of pie already.

"What receiver copped the ESPY—" my mom was interrupted when the ladies groaned "—award for Pro Football Player of the Decade?"

I looked at Jasper and Emmett, and together, we said, "Jerry Rice."

My mom nodded, sticking the card in the back of the box before digging out a blue pie and passing to me.

I gave it to Jasper and rolled the die again. Jasper moved us four spots to a brown, and we all turned to my mom to wait for our next question.

We answered _Cats_ as a group when she asked what the longest-running musical left purring on Broadway was when _A Chorus Line_ closed in 1990.

"That's such a 'gimme' question!" Alice complained, glaring at us. "Left purring? Oh, I dunno..._Wizard of Oz_?"

We all nodded, making her laugh and roll her eyes.

I just chuckled and rolled the die again. When we moved to roll again, I rolled one more time, and that landed us on the yellow for pie.

"You're a lucky little shit!" Rose said to me and then winced. "I mean, uh, a lucky little booger. Sorry," she told my parents, grimacing when they just chuckled in response.

My mom pulled out the next card and asked, "What phrase does a fast-typing cyberchatter shorten to 'IMHO'?"

"I think it's in my humble opinion," I told them, even though I didn't do much "chat-speak" myself.

"No way," Emmett argued. "I think it's honest, not humble."

"That's because there's not a humble bone in your body, Em," Alice teased, earning a snort of laughter from Rose.

"Em," I said, pulling his attention back to me and away from our sister, "I, uh, honestly think it's humble. What do you think?" I asked Jasper and my dad.

"I agree with you, son," my dad answered with a nod.

"Me, too," Jasper said. "Sorry, man." He looked at Emmett with a shrug.

"Fine," Emmett grumbled. "In my _humble_ opinion, then."

We all looked at my mother in anticipation.

She nodded. "Edward was correct," she said, handing me a yellow pie piece.

"Geez, that's two already," Rose said, pursing her lips in frustration.

"Don't worry, Rose," Alice told her. "We'll catch up. I can feel it."

"Oh yeah, our sister the psychic," I teased, yelping when her small foot connected with my shin under the table.

It was our turn again, so I handed the die off to Emmett to roll, since Jasper was moving our game piece around the board.

Em rolled a six, moving us to a blue.

"What animated characters are hyped as 'Heroes in the Half-Shell'?" my mom asked.

Immediately, Emmett, Jasper, and I began singing the theme song from _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_, ending with, "Heroes in the half-shell. Turtle power!"

We all laughed, and when my mom nodded, Emmett rolled again, landing us on another blue space.

When my mom pulled the card out of the box, she flipped it over, laughed out loud, and then looked up. "Good luck with this one, boys." She grinned and then asked, "What Pixies spinoff band was dubbed 'The Bangles From Hell'?"

I raised an eyebrow, absolutely clueless. When I looked over at the rest of the guys, they all looked dumbfounded.

Alice, on the other hand, was bouncing in her seat.

"We have no i—" I began, but I was interrupted before I could even finish the sentence.

"The Breeders!" Alice called out. We all looked at her curiously, and she shrugged. "Don't ask me how I knew that. I just did."

Emmett didn't say a word; he just passed the die over to Rose and shook his head at our sister.

Rose rolled a one, landing the ladies on their first shot at the yellow pie.

"What's an 'FPS' game, to a bloodthirsty video gamer?" my father asked them.

I nearly groaned when Bella, Alice, and Rose all yelled out, "First person shooter!"

"For a pie!" my mom called happily, handing Alice a yellow pie to put in their player piece.

After the ladies failed to name the cyclist who won his third Tour de France in 1990, it was our turn again. We got another chat-speak question and answered laughing out loud—even my dad knew that one—for "LOL." The next roll landed us on pink for a pie.

Emmett knew—although none of us dared ask how—that Chuck Berry was hit with lawsuits for allegedly filming women in his restaurants' restrooms, earning us our third piece of the pie.

It wasn't long before we hit a real history question that Jasper easily knew the answer to, which earned us our fourth—a green—pie piece, much to the ladies' dismay. Our high didn't last long, unfortunately, because none of us knew the answer was David Duchovny to a _Twin Peaks_ question.

The game went back and forth for a few more minutes, with my respect for Bella's intelligence growing as she continued to answer questions none of us knew the answer to. I knew I was beaming with pride when she earned them their second pie piece—the orange this time—with the correct answer about The Three Tenors' first performance. She blushed with the praise my sisters and mother heaped on her, and she'd never looked more lovely to me: her eyes were bright and shining, her cheeks were just the slightest pink, and her smile was wide and honest.

At one point, my dad laughed when he got ready to ask them a question. We looked at him curiously, until he finally spoke. "The reptiles Donatello, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, and Raphael are collectively known as what?"

All four ladies, including my mother, looked around the table at us and then began singing the same theme song we'd sung to them only a few minutes before.

"That's so not fair," Emmett groused. A second later, he cried, "Ow! What the hell was that for, Rosie?"

"Emmett, language!" my mom said with a frown, making the rest of us snicker.

"I can't reach you to slap the back of your head, so stomping the top of your foot will have to do," Rose explained. "Now quit being a baby and hand me the die."

He grumbled, but slid the die across to her.

A minute later, when she was the only one of the ladies to know the correct answer about the number of yearly grizzly attacks in Yellowstone, Emmett smiled wide and said, "That's my girl!"

"How did you know that?" Alice asked her, raising her eyebrow in question.

Rose laughed. "I'm married to a man obsessed with bears. How could I _not_ know that?"

The ladies hovered around the blue pie for several rounds, answering what seemed like pink after pink after pink question, before finally landing on the elusive blue. Mom's answer of Jethro Tull earned them their third piece of pie, but they missed the next question.

The die went back to Emmett, and we landed on the brown pie, but we missed the question.

On the next roll, the ladies landed on the same space.

Dad pulled a card from the box and groaned loudly. "Sorry, boys," he said, looking at us before looking back down at the card. "Who tools around in a phone booth larger on the inside than it is on the outside?"

My mother clapped her hands and squealed, looking and sounding much like Alice, and answered, "Doctor Who!"

The score was tied at four a piece.

"Who wants something to drink?" I asked, looking around the table. Everyone raised their hands, so I turned my gaze to Bella. "Help me in the kitchen, love?"

She nodded and slipped off her chair to take my hand when I came around the table.

The minute we were around the corner and into the kitchen, I pressed her back against the counter and molded my body to hers. "I've been wanting to do this for hours now," I murmured before dipping my head and caressing her lips with mine.

There was nothing hurried or frantic about our kiss. It was slow, tender, and by the time Emmett called out, "Anytime!" we had already pulled apart, breathless.

"We'd better get back in there," I grumbled, running my fingers softly down her pink cheek. I took her hand and turned to leave the kitchen, but I was stopped when Bella didn't move.

When I looked back at her, she grinned and asked, "Shouldn't we get drinks?"

"Oh!" I snickered. "I guess so, huh?"

We each grabbed four bottles of water and took them back into the dining room, passing them out as my siblings laughed.

"Have a hard time finding the water there, Edward?" Jasper asked, smirking.

I slugged his arm as I sat down beside him, grinning as Bella blushed even brighter.

"Enough teasing your brother," my mom said. "I'm sure the water was just...hidden, or something, and that's why it took so long."

"Roll, Rose," I said, shaking my head in amusement.

The ladies answered a few more questions before landing on the spot for a green pie. Alice and Bella both knew the answer that Time Warner was the conglomerate that earned the biggest U.S. magazine revenues, earning them their fifth piece and pulling them into the lead.

Several questions and Roll Agains later, Alice moved their nearly full piece to the pink pie spot. Unfortunately for them, it was a basketball question that no one but Emmett knew the answer to, making it our turn again.

The game went back and forth for another thirty minutes, and the ladies again landed on the pink pie space.

Dad pulled out a card and asked, "What fifteen-year-old actress documented her six years of drug and alcohol woes in the autobiography, _Little Girl Lost_?"

I saw Bella's eyes light up, and then I looked at Alice and Rose, who were beaming. I knew then that we were in trouble.

After speaking quietly together for less than a minute, they sat back, and Bella said, "We're pretty sure it's Drew Barrymore."

"Correct," my dad said.

"Last pie!" Alice said happily, sliding the pink piece into place.

"Yeah, but you still have to land in the center," Emmett reminded her.

Rose rolled the die, and when it landed on six, the ladies all cheered.

"We get to choose the category," I reminded them before looking over at the other guys.

"Not brown, orange, or blue," Jasper said quietly.

"Let's go green," I said. "I think that's their shakiest category."

Emmett and Jasper nodded.

My dad pulled out the next card. "Green question," he told the ladies, sounding much like a game show host. "What biological project featured a fierce rivalry between teams led by Craig Venter and Francis Collins?"

Bella didn't even wait to talk to the rest of her team. She slapped her hand down on the table, grinned, and said proudly, "The Human Genome Project."

My mother smiled proudly, and Alice and Rose both held their breath, waiting for my dad to respond.

After a moment, he looked up and grinned. "Good job, Bella. I'm impressed. Ladies win, boys. Sorry!"

I pretended to be upset, simply to appease my brothers, but inside, I was bowing down to my Bella. I had fallen in love with a smart woman, and I couldn't be happier about it.

After helping put all the game pieces away, Bella and I gave out hugs goodbye, with promises to speak to my mother later the next week, and then walked out to the car, hand in hand. We were both quiet as we drove back to our apartments, but it was a good, comfortable silence. It had been a wonderful night, but we were both glad it was just the two of us, on our own, away from the rest of the family.

As we walked up the steps leading to our doors, I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her close.

"Stay with me tonight?" Bella murmured.

"Of course," I told her, smiling. "Let's run in to my place first so I can grab some clothes, and then we can go over, okay?"

She smiled and nodded, letting me lead her to my door.

Thirty minutes later, we were lying in bed, her back to my front. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" I asked quietly, running my fingers lightly up and down her arm.

She yawned, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, shit, sorry," she told me. "All the stress I had myself under made me exhausted." She turned over in my arms and rested her head on my arm and her hand on my chest. "No, it wasn't bad at all. Your parents were great, and they made me feel comfortable right away."

I nodded. "They loved you," I told her. "Of course, not as much as _I_ love you, but still, I could tell they were impressed."

"I'm glad," she said, stifling another yawn.

"Get some sleep, love," I said softly. "I've got the alarm set for in the morning so we can both get ready for work."

"Mkay," she mumbled, eyes already half closed. "Love you, Edward."

Chuckling, I brushed her lips with mine and said, "Love you, too, my Bella."


	32. Chapter 32

**Bella's POV**

"You about ready to go?" I called to Edward from the kitchen when I heard the front door close. I was making sure the pies I'd baked to take with us to Forks were ready to go while he took our bags to the car. He was back to carry the pies as I locked up and set the alarm.

His face appeared around the doorway. "Bags are loaded," he confirmed. "Those ready?" He gestured to the four pies on the counter in front of me—my grandmother's Maple Nut, Chocolate Silk, Caramel Pumpkin, and Rum Raisin Apple.

I nodded. "Just about. I've got a box in the hall closet we can use to carry them so they don't slide around. Can you get it while I finish putting tinfoil over this last one, please?"

"Sure, love."

I heard him open the closet door and then the quiet click as it closed. Soon, he was back with one flattened box in one hand and a smaller one in the other. Reaching over to the drawer at the end, he took out the roll of packing tape and made quick work of putting the bigger box back together.

We worked silently for several minutes, carefully loading the pies in two stacks of two, with the second flattened box in between the layers.

"That was a great idea," I told him. "I was kind of worried the top layer would squish the bottom one. Thank you."

He smiled, kissed my forehead, and then picked up the box. "Ready?"

"Yup," I said, grinning. "Lemme grab my coat and purse."

We walked into the living room, where I saw he'd already gotten my favorite winter coat from the closet and draped it over the back of the sofa. He was still bundled up from taking the bags out to the car, so as soon as I had my coat on, I picked up my purse, set the alarm, and pulled the door closed behind us.

"Here," Edward said, reaching out his hand. "It's a little slick."

It was the end of November, and the normal rainy Washington weather had already turned snowy and icy. I gladly took his hand, and together, we carefully walked down the steps to Edward's Volvo, which we were taking together to Forks. Once the pies and I were safely ensconced in the car, Edward strode quickly around to the driver's side and started it up, turning the heat on high. He'd cleaned off the windows while he was out loading the bags and had run the heater while he was outside, so it didn't take long at all for the inside of the car to be toasty warm.

"Wanna stop and get coffee?" he asked as he backed away from the curb.

I shook my head and chuckled. "I've had what feels like a gallon already this morning. You can if you want, though," I answered, smiling over at him.

"I'm good," he said. "The trip shouldn't take that long. The roads are nice and clear; Jasper called while I was loading the bags. He and Alice are already there."

"Oh!" I raised an eyebrow. "I thought they were meeting us at Rose and Emmett's place so we could caravan together."

He shrugged. "Apparently, Alice got a bee in her bonnet about wanting to make sure the house looked, and I quote, _p__erfect_, since it'll be your first time seeing my parents' house."

I grinned. "That's totally Alice. Okay, but Rose and Emmett are still gonna drive it with us, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he confirmed. "Why? You don't think I can handle driving it on my own?" he teased.

Rolling my eyes, I laughed at his pretend wounded expression. "Hush up, you," I told him, shoving at his shoulder gently.

Twenty minutes later, we were back on the road, following behind Emmett and Rose in his big Jeep. Emmett had complained, _again_, about taking two cars to Forks, when all four of us could have fit in his Jeep. Rose smacked the back of his head—explaining to me that he'd already whined repeatedly about the subject—and explained once more to her husband that because of Black Friday shopping, we would need both vehicles.

I rested my hand on Edward's muscular thigh, feeling it tense and relax as he drove. I turned on the radio, and when I couldn't find a good station that _wasn't_ playing Christmas music, I pulled my iPod out of my purse and plugged it in. I let my playlist run as my thoughts turned to the last two months.

Since meeting Edward's parents for the first time, they'd been up to Port Angeles several times to visit. Most of the time, we all got together at either Rose's or Alice's houses, but a couple of times, we'd all gone out to dinner and then a club for dancing. Carlisle and Esme were young and, most of the time, seemed like older siblings than parents. They had great relationships with all the "kids," and as the month of October had progressed, I'd begun to feel more and more like one of their own.

For Halloween, we'd all been invited to a party at a friend of the family's in Seattle. Carlisle and Esme had driven up to Port Angeles to meet us, and then we'd all driven up together. We'd gone as famous couples, but the women had gotten ready at Alice's house, while the men had dressed at Emmett's house. Alice had insisted we not see each other until the party.

~*~CIBD~*~

_The first person we saw when we walked into the party was Carlisle, who was coming toward us, dressed as Ward Cleaver from _Leave It To Beaver_. He was wearing a simple black suit, white dress shirt, and black dress shoes. To complete the look, he'd sprayed his hair dark, slicked it back into the style of the fifties, and added a bit of baby powder to the temples to replicate the little touch of gray. He looked distinguished and handsome, even more so than normal._

_As Ward's wife, June, Esme was dressed as the quintessential 1950's mother, in a stylish dress, heels, and a string of pearls around her neck. She'd opted not to color her hair the light blond of Barbara Billingsley, but she'd used hot rollers to give it the curls needed, and Alice had pinned it up a bit to keep it shorter. Together, they looked amazing._

"_The boys are back through that way," Carlisle told us, tilting his head back the way he'd come. "You ladies look beautiful." He smiled at us before turning his head and kissing his wife gently, being careful not to smudge her lipstick._

_Rose, Alice, and I walked through the crowd, thanking people when we got compliments on our costumes. When we got to the entrance to the large family room, we saw our men._

_Rose and Emmett had dressed as Sandy and Danny from the carnival scene in _Grease_. Alice had sewn a tight, black T-shirt to look like the one from the movie. Rose was wearing it with skin-tight, black leather pants and red wedge sandals on her feet. Her hair was poofed up in giant curls, pulled up over one ear and secured with a black hair clip. Her husband looked deadly sexy in his own tight, black T-shirt—complete with rolled up sleeves—and he'd paired it with black jeans, black sneakers, and a black belt. Emmett smiled at us before sweeping Rose into his arms and planting a big kiss on her lips, ignoring her squeal of protest._

_I watched for a moment as Jasper, aka Rhett Butler, bowed low in front of Alice and said in a sweet, southern drawl, "You are definitely the belle of the ball, Miss O'Hara. May I offer you something to drink?"_

_She giggled softly and nodded, holding out her hand. "Why, thank you, Captain Butler. I do believe I shall have that drink," she said, looking over at me and winking before taking Jasper's proffered arm. Soon, he whisked her off through the crowd._

_They looked amazing together as they walked away. Jasper wore an old-fashioned black suit with charcoal gray ascot, vest, and black dress shoes. Alice had sewn a dress very similar to the one Scarlett had worn at the barbecue. It was white, with a green floral print, dark green sash at the waist, and a great big straw-like bonnet with the same dark green sash to tie under her chin. Her tiny frame was highlighted by the hoop skirt under the dress, and her feet barely peeked out from under her dress, but I knew her heels had been dyed green to match the outfit. Since her hair was so short, she was wearing a brown, shoulder-length wig in loose curls._

_I turned my attention back to Edward, who looked absolutely dashing and debonair dressed as Humphrey Bogart in the final scene of _Casablanca_. He was in a gray suit, with a tan trench coat and fedora. I was also in a suit, with a calf-length skirt and women's jacket. My hair was slicked back into a knot at the base of my neck—finally long enough that I could wear it like that if I chose to—and I was wearing a hat very similar to the one Ingrid Bergman had worn._

"_Hi, love," Edward murmured before picking up my hand and bringing it to his lips, brushing a soft kiss across the back of it. "You look beautiful."_

_Before I could reply, he pulled me to him and kissed me, wrapping his arms around me and holding me to him. I snuggled in and began to deepen the kiss..._

~*~CIBD~*~

"A penny..."

I was pulled out of my memories by Edward's voice.

"Hmm?" I asked, confused.

"For your thoughts, love," he continued. "You were awfully quiet."

Chuckling, I said, "Yeah, sorry, was just remembering Halloween. It was fun."

"That was a good night," he agreed, smiling over at me.

I nodded before changing the subject. "Tell me more about your parents' house," I requested, leaning forward to turn the music down slightly.

"It's just outside of Forks, north of the Calawah River," he told me, and even though I'd heard some of this before, it still made me happy to hear him describe the place with such warmth and obviously fond memories. "The house is off the main road, so even if people turn onto the unmarked, barely visible unpaved side road, they normally don't travel the few miles before the house becomes visible."

"Sounds like it would be great for privacy," I said almost wistfully.

He chuckled. "Yeah, that's why my parents like it so much—especially after Emmett, Alice, and I all moved out. They can stay at home and simply get away from civilization.

"The house is surrounded by forest, and there are some huge cedars that shade it. It's painted a soft, faded white, is three stories, and has a deep porch that wraps around the first story."

"It's old, right?" I asked curiously.

He nodded, barely glancing away from the road to smile at me. "Right around a century."

"And your room's on the third floor?" I seemed to remember that from our previous conversations.

"Yes, my room, my parents' room, and the library. Alice's and Emmett's bedrooms are on the second floor, as well as Dad's office and small studies for both Jasper and my mom. Jasper's office used to be part of Alice's bedroom, but once she and Jasper became a serious couple, Mom redesigned it so they could section off a small part to allow him to have his own space."

"Esme really likes interior design, doesn't she?" I mused.

He looked over and grinned. "She and Alice had a lot of fun with that project."

"So," I prompted, "tell me about your room."

Edward made a small half-hum, half-sigh of contentment. "I love my room. It's right above Emmett's and faces south, so the sun never shines directly in, but the wall-sized window has a fantastic view of the Sol Duc River, through the forest, to the Olympic Mountain range."

He smirked. "You've seen my CD collection at home. One wall of my room at my parents' house is covered with shelving for my music, some of which is still there, and one corner has my old stereo. When I moved into the apartment above the store, I bought that new system and left my old one for when I came to visit."

I shook my head. "I can't believe you have that much music," I said, laughing.

"So says the woman with more books that I could count," he replied with a wink. "Anyway, on the wall opposite the windows is a black leather sofa, and there's nice, thick carpet on the floors and a huge, King-sized bed." His voice dropped suggestively, and he looked over and raised an eyebrow.

"No way," I said, laughing. "We are _not_ doing that in your parents' house!"

"We'll see," he teased, yelping when I pinched his thigh through his jeans.

I was just about to say more, when my phone rang with my dad's ringtone. I pulled it out from my purse and said, "Dad?"

"Hey, Bells," he said, sounding cheerful. "I told Edward's mother I'd call and find out where you guys are."

"Oh!" I said, surprised. "You're already over there?"

He chuckled. "Yes, Sue and Esme decided we should come over at eight this morning so they could start the turkey. Little Alice and her young man showed up about an hour ago."

I looked at the clock on the dashboard. He and Sue had been there for almost two hours already.

Putting my hand over the mouthpiece, I asked Edward, "How far are we from Forks?"

"About twenty minutes from my parents' house," he answered.

"Okay, Dad," I said into the phone. "Edward says we should be there in less than half an hour."

"All right. See you then," he said. "Drive safely."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled and said, "Always," before hanging up the call.

After putting my phone back in my purse, I moved my hand back to Edward's thigh. I couldn't resist smiling when he picked it up and threaded his fingers through mine before resting them back down on his leg.

I leaned forward, turned the music back up a bit with my free hand, and then relaxed against the seat. We were quiet, just enjoying the time together, for the rest of the trip.


	33. Chapter 33

**Bella's POV**

We pulled into the driveway of the Cullens' house, and it was every bit as beautiful as Edward had described. Emmett and Rose pulled up beside us moments later, parking their Jeep behind my father's squad car, which was parked beside Jasper's truck.

I unplugged my iPod and slid it into my purse before climbing out of the car.

"Can you get the pies if I get the bags?" Edward asked, coming around to my side of the vehicle and offering me his hand as I rose out of the car.

"Sure," I answered, accepting a quick kiss from him before he moved around to the trunk. I waited until he handed me the box of pies, and once he'd gotten our bags from the car and shut the lid, we carefully walked up to the front door.

Edward shifted one bag to his other hand, freeing up a hand to open the door. He held it open for me, and I entered, carefully wiping my feet on the rugs both outside and inside the door. Once we were both inside, I noticed a line of shoes off to the side, so I slipped my own off and shoved them over with the rest.

"Bells!" Charlie called from the living room, off the side of the entry.

"Hey, Dad," I said, smiling.

Edward set our bags down and started reaching for the box in my hands. "Go say hi to your dad, Bella. I'll take this into the kitchen."

"Thanks," I told him, handing off the box of pies.

In my sock feet, I walked into the living room. The men stood to greet me, obviously having been sprawled out on the sofa and chairs, watching the parade on TV. I gave my dad a hug before saying hello to Carlisle and Jasper. They told me happy Thanksgiving before settling back down in their seats.

"Enjoying the parade, guys?"

"Hells, yeah!" Emmett called as he came barreling into the room in his stocking feet. "Parade!" He jumped onto the couch, knocking into Jasper in the process.

Jasper shoved the other man away, laughing as Emmett nearly went flying. They began play fighting, never once getting up from their seats, until a loud voice echoed from the other room.

"Boys! If you're going to wrestle, take it outside," Esme said firmly. "I will not have a repeat of last year."

"Last year?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carlisle chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't ask. Suffice it to say, Emmett and Jasper bought Esme a new coffee table."

I laughed. "Got it." Squeezing Charlie's shoulder, I said, "I'm gonna go say hi to everyone else."

"All right," he replied, nodding absently as he watched the floats go by on the screen.

I turned to see if I could find the rest of the family and watched as Edward walked into the living room.

"Hi, Dad," Edward said as Carlisle looked up and smiled at him. "Chief Swan." He gave my dad a smile and extended his hand in greeting.

"Now, Edward," Charlie said, accepting Edward's handshake with a firm grip of his own, "I've told you to call me Charlie."

Edward smiled and nodded once. "Charlie. Happy Thanksgiving."

"You, too," he told Edward, clasping his shoulder warmly before settling back in front of the TV.

"Dad, I'm gonna go give Bella the tour."

Carlisle nodded. "Sounds good." He paused and looked up at Edward. "It's good to have you home, son."

Edward smiled and ruffled his dad's hair, much to Carlisle's amusement, and took my hand to lead me from the living room. I dropped my purse on the side table at the bottom of the stairs as we walked by.

After getting a quick tour of the second floor before moving up to the third and taking a peek into Carlisle and Esme's bedroom and the library—with the firm intention of exploring _that_ room more later—we finally entered Edward's bedroom.

"Wow," I said softly.

The furnishings were gorgeous. The bed, dresser, and side tables were in dark wood, with fabrics in cream, deep blue, and burgundy. The black leather couch fit perfectly in the entirely masculine room. There were also little touches of Edward everywhere, from the few photos on the wall, to the wall of music—which, even with his extensive collection in Port Angeles, was still amazing to look at.

"My mom enjoyed redecorating for me when I went off to college, taking it from a teenager's room to an adult's," he said, pulling me down onto his lap on the couch.

"She did a great job," I told him sincerely, snuggling against his chest.

"Now," Edward said, a low rumble in his tone as he nuzzled my ear, "enough talk about my mother."

He lifted me, turning us both so he was suddenly lying on his back on the couch, with me stretched out above him.

He wrapped one arm around my waist, pressing me down harder so more of my weight was directly on him. Our legs tangled together, and we were aligned in just the right way that I could feel his growing erection pressing against the front of my jeans. With every movement, the ridge of his cock pressed the seam of my pants into my clit, sending little zaps of electricity and arousal through my body.

"Oh, God," I whimpered. "You're so hard."

"Shh, love," Edward said with a slight chuckle. "The door's closed, but still..." His voice trailed off as he gently cupped my face with his other hand, drawing my lips down to his.

The kiss started out soft, gentle, just mere ghosts of touches between his lips and mine. It built, and built, each brush of his lips getting more and more insistent. When I felt his warm, wet tongue tracing the seam of my lips, begging for entrance, my lips parted immediately.

I slid my hands up his chest, the soft fabric of his shirt only adding to the multitude of sensations coursing through me. As the kiss deepened, I clenched the front of his shirt tightly in my fingers.

I lost track of everything besides what I was feeling as Edward's hand moved to cup my bottom, forcing my body to slide against his arousal. He became my everything, filling my senses. He was so close, I could see nothing but the heat in his nearly emerald green eyes. I felt nothing but Edward. I tasted nothing but the sweetness of his mouth. I heard nothing but the sound of our kisses, our heavy breaths. And when my own arousal reached fever pitch, I broke away from his mouth, gasping.

Edward moaned softly and tilted his head up, attaching his lips to my neck. He licked and nipped and suckled gently at the skin, until my hips were thrusting against his. He murmured against my neck, "Come for me, my Bella," as he thrust his hips up against me, hitting just the right spot.

I bit my lip and stiffened as my orgasm rolled through my body.

Edward softly kissed his way back up my neck to my jaw and then across to my lips. A few last soft brushes of his lips, and then he sat up, pulling me sideways on his lap. Neither of us were breathing evenly yet; I was still shaky from my orgasm and his intense kisses, and I could feel Edward still hard under me.

Leaning his forehead against mine, he chuckled. "I hadn't intended to do that when I brought you up here, but so help me," he huffed, "you make me lose track of my surroundings."

I grinned and said, "Me, too."

After another moment, he sighed. "You'd better get downstairs before Alice comes up here to get you." He made a face. "I need to make a stop in the bathroom before I join you. If I go back down like this, I'm worried your father'll shoot me."

The look on his face made me giggle, and I kissed him once more before climbing off his lap. Holding out a hand, I helped him stand. Once he'd taken it, I pulled him into me for one last kiss.

"Go, you little she-devil," he breathed against my lips, "before I'm tempted to say screw the rest of the family."

I laughed as I turned to leave the room, putting an extra sway in my hips as I walked.

I didn't turn around when I heard Edward's groan from behind me as I opened the door and walked out, but I gave myself a mental high five for affecting him like I had.

I was still grinning when I arrived downstairs. I followed the sound of dishes and chatter until I found myself in the kitchen.

"Bella!" Esme said warmly. "I'm glad you came, sweetheart. The pies look wonderful."

I could feel my face heat with a blush of pride, and I smiled. "Thanks. And thank you for asking me," I said. I turned to see Sue, who'd walked back into the kitchen. "Hi, Sue. I hear you guys came over early."

She laughed. "Hi, Bella. Yes, your father wasn't too happy about it, but when I told him there would be football on the big TV, he changed his tune pretty quickly."

I couldn't help my chuckle. "I bet." Looking around, I asked, "Can I help?"

Sue and Esme looked at one another and shook their heads. "No, we've got it under control, I think," Esme said. "Go say hello to the girls." She pointed the through a large doorway off to the side.

"Okay, but let me know if you change your mind," I told them, smiling.

Turning the corner, I found myself in the dining room, where Alice and Rose were huddled around a laptop, with stacks of store newspaper ads scattered across the table.

"Bella!" Alice squealed, flashing me a grin. "Enjoy the tour?" Her eyebrow raised suggestively, and I knew, somehow, that she knew what we'd been up to.

I felt my cheeks heat up, even as I hissed, "Hush, Alice. My father's in the other room!" I smoothed my hair down and checked my clothes to make sure nothing was out of place.

She and Rose just laughed. "We're making plans for tomorrow's shopping," Alice said, looking at Rose, who nodded her agreement. "Wanna give us your input?"

I shrugged. "Whatever you guys choose will be fine. I'll keep you company, though." I pulled out a chair across from Rose and sat down, grinning when they started right back in on their scheduling and planning.

After a moment, my phone beeped from my purse, which I'd grabbed on my way past the table at the foot of the stairs. Pulling it out, I noticed the icon for a new text message. I nearly groaned aloud when I read the message from Edward.

_guess what im doing right now while i think of u – E_

_Holy shit..._

I quickly texted him back, studiously composing my face so I wouldn't give away what we were doing.

_I hope you're stroking your big, hard cock... – B_

_Let's see if that gets him going,_ I thought, smirking to myself.

Less than thirty seconds later, the phone beeped again.

_c 4 ur self. tell me more. – E_

There was a picture attached to the message, and when I opened it, I gasped audibly, feeling my face heat even more. Edward had given me a view down his body, to his hand grasping his cock. The dark plum head extended way past his fist, and I could clearly see the drop of milky white liquid gathering at the tip. I nearly dropped the phone and had to bite my lip to keep from moaning.

I'd never done true dirty texting before, but even surrounded by both Edward's family and my own, I suddenly wanted to more than anything. The added tension of getting caught excited me, as much as I might hate to admit it to anyone but Edward or myself. Glancing up quickly, I realized neither Alice nor Rose were paying me any attention, so I turned my eyes back to the screen and began to type.

_Fuck, you look good enough to eat. You were so hard under me earlier, baby. Your cock felt so good on my pussy as you made me come. – B_

Almost before I could blink, the phone signaled a new message.

_fuck. more. – E_

I breathed deeply, imagining Edward stroking himself, smearing his pre-cum all over his cock.

_If I were up there with you, I'd be down on my knees with that thick cock in my mouth. Would you fuck my mouth, baby? I want to taste you so badly right now. Squeeze your cock, Edward, like it was my hand and my throat around you. Come for me. Just the thought of it is making me wet. – B_

"Bella?" Rose asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.

I looked up, almost sure my guilt and embarrassment was written all over my face. "Huh? What?" I asked quickly, hiding my phone from any prying eyes.

"Looking a little flushed," Alice said, grinning.

"Yeah, Bella," Rose said quietly. "You may have whimpered a bit, too. Who were you texting?"

"No one," I answered quickly, sliding my phone into my pocket as casually as I could.

Rose and Alice just looked at each other and chuckled.

"Okay, then," Rose said, shrugging, amusement still clear in her voice. "You didn't hear our question."

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm listening now."

"We were talking schedule," Alice said, shuffling some papers in front of her. "Sears opens at four in the morning, so if it's okay with you, we were thinking of hitting there first."

"Emmett convinced Jasper he needed a pool table," Rose explained, pointing to one of the ads between us. "They have one on sale for $479."

"They've got a lot of cute clothes on sale, too," Alice told me, turning the laptop around to show me some cute cable knit sweaters she had on screen.

"Sounds good," I agreed.

I listened as they continued to plan, until I felt hands drop lightly on my shoulders and a kiss on the top of my head. I looked up into Edward's eyes and smiled, my cheeks warming at the knowledge of what he'd just been doing.

"Hi," I murmured.

He smirked. "You ladies having fun?"

"Not as much fun as you," Rose teased him, earning a blush from me and a chuckle from Edward.

"Definitely not," he agreed. "I'm gonna go hang out with the guys in the living room," he told me.

I nodded, smiling up at him.

He leaned down and brushed my lips with his before kissing my cheek and turning to nuzzle my neck below my ear. "Love, I never knew you were such a naughty vixen," he purred softly, so only I could hear.

Before I could respond, he stood and walked out of the dining room, whistling a happy tune.


	34. Chapter 34

**Edward's POV**

"Who's up for some football before the game starts?" Emmett called, coming back into the room. He'd raced out without a word a couple of minutes before.

I looked over at him and saw that he'd gone to get the football from his room. I turned to look at Jasper, who was nodding, so I said, "Yeah, sure. Dad? Charlie? Interested in playing?"

My dad and Charlie looked at each other and shrugged. "I'm all right with showing these kids a thing or two," Charlie said with a smirk.

Emmett laughed. "Bring it on, old man," he told Charlie. Then he turned to our father and said, "Should we give you some sort of handicap?"

"Watch it, son," my dad said. He raised an eyebrow and added cryptically, "Or haven't you heard?"

Emmett frowned. "Heard what?"

"Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill every time." Dad grinned over at Charlie conspiratorially.

Emmett rolled his eyes, smirking, before turning to look toward the other room. "Rosie!" he yelled. "Going out to play football. Wanna come be my cheerleader?"

I rolled my eyes, but the thought of Bella dressed in one of those short little cheerleading skirts and tight sweaters, long legs on display and breasts bouncing deliciously, made my dick stand at attention again. _Fuck. So not the time for that,_ I growled in my head, reciting popular classical composers in alphabetical order to deflate my raging hard-on. _Abel, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Handel…Mmm, Bella's hand would fe—oh fuck—Hadyn, Mozart..._

When Bella walked into the living room with my sister and Rose, I pulled her into my arms and dipped my head to her ear. "Will you be my cheerleader, love?" I murmured softly, my breath drifting across her neck and pulling a shiver from her.

"Maybe later, if you win," she answered just as quietly with a snicker, clearly knowing why I'd asked. Aloud, she said, "We're gonna watch the parade while you guys are outside."

"Sounds good," I told her, bending my head for a quick kiss, all too aware of her father in the background.

I gave her one last smile and then moved to the hall to get my coat and sneakers as she settled onto the couch, facing the big window overlooking the front yard.

"Have fun," my mother called from the kitchen, "but be careful. It's slick and snowy out there. I really don't want to make a trip to the emergency room tonight. And don't let them mess up my flowerbed, either!"

"Don't worry, Esme," my dad called back. "Charlie and I will keep an eye on them."

Rolling my eyes at the idea that we needed babysitters, I followed a laughing Emmett and Jasper outside.

~*~CIBD~*~

"Come on, Edward, call the play! Blue thirty-two. Blue thirty-two," Emmett bellowed.

Jasper shoved him, nearly making him fall into the snow. "It's just the five of us, and we don't have a play book, dumbass," he told Emmett. "You don't have to yell that every time."

I was standing behind Emmett, who was crouched down in front of me, ready to hike the ball to me before running across the lawn to protect Jasper, who was going to try to catch my pass. I rolled my eyes and said, "Just play the ball, man."

I'd been picked to be quarterback for both teams, and it was just assumed by all that it would be Charlie and my dad versus Emmett and Jasper. Luckily, in my opinion anyway, I would win either way. And just like that, thoughts of Bella parading in front of me in a cheerleading outfit took over my entire mind.

"Hike, hike!"

Emmett's call pulled me out my reverie a split second before the football was snapped back into my hands. The four of them raced down the length of the large yard, Emmett trying to block our father and Charlie from getting to Jasper, who was running to catch the pass I would throw. Jazz and my brother were calling out instructions, where to run, to run faster, to block them, and whatever else I missed from my position in the yard.

It was a madhouse toward their end. Somehow, in all the confusion, Jasper was running in the same direction Emmett was herding his opponents.

"Go long!" I called out, hoping to throw past the knot of men to Jasper.

As soon as I saw Jasper make a break for it, I threw the ball in a long bomb I thought Matt Hasselbeck would be proud of. Unfortunately, I overestimated how hard I would need to throw it. The ball was moving way too fast and was going to sail past Jasper.

Emmett noticed and yelled, "Run!"

While he was distracted, Charlie and my dad took off around him, gunning for Jasper. When Emmett switched his attention back to his opponents, he barreled after them.

I cringed when I saw what was coming, but it was too late. There was nothing I could do to stop it.

It was like watching a cartoon: Jasper was watching the ball, Charlie and my dad were watching Jasper and not the ground, and Emmett was just running too hard to do anything to stop himself when Charlie and my dad hit a slick spot in front of him. He slammed into the older men, who fell into Jasper, and they all hit the ground hard, rolling in four different directions, groaning.

The ball hit the side of Jasper's truck with a thud, and an ear-splitting screech filled the air as his alarm blared.

I was almost to the guys when the front door spilled open and all five women appeared on the front porch. From the corner of my eye, I saw Alice raise her arm, and the siren call of the alarm abruptly shut off.

All was quiet for a moment, aside from the groans coming from the guys, and then we heard, "My flowers!"

Sure enough, when I got to the end of the yard, I realized that all four of them were lying in the flattened flowerbed.

~*~CIBD~*~

Four hours later, my mother was still grumbling about her ruined flowerbed. We were going to be buying her some new mums, camellias—both japonica and sasanqua varieties, whatever those were—and a few different kinds of pansies as well, and replanting the ruined garden as soon as we were able. The moment she'd confirmed that we were all okay, she'd begun her "I told you to be careful of the flowerbeds" lecture. All five of us were chagrined, and rightly so, but we'd all apologized and promised to make it up to her, and while she was still grinching about it, it was more in loving—grudging, but loving nonetheless—fondness than not.

Now, all ten of us were gathered around the dining room, getting ready for my father to say grace so we could dig in to the fantastically smelling food in the center of the table. I was between Bella and my sister, and I held their hands as my dad began to speak.

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this special day, a day to remember Your goodness to us. Thank You for a roof over our heads and more than enough food to eat. Thank You for the family You have given to us, for family and friends who have gathered together to eat this Thanksgiving Day meal. In your name we pray, Amen."

There was a chorus of echoed _Amens_, and then I gave Bella's hand a squeeze before releasing it to take the large bowl of sausage and herb stuffing in front of me. After adding a serving onto my plate, I passed the bowl to Bella and turned to take the bowl of mashed potatoes Alice was ready to pass to me on my other side.

For several minutes, no one spoke; the only sounds were those of serving spoons tapping against containers of food as everyone piled their plates high with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, broccoli and cheese casserole, Brussels sprouts, roasted veggies, sweet potatoes, green salad, broccoli salad, and two different kinds of bread. As soon as everyone had a chance to get everything they wanted from the food in the middle of the table, conversations picked up, and for almost an hour, we all ate and talked and just enjoyed being together.

At one point during dinner, Bella asked Sue about Seth and Leah.

Sue smiled and said more animatedly than I'd seen her all day, "I forgot to tell you all that they both said hello and happy Thanksgiving. She's spending the holiday with Joseph's family. Seth decided to stay on the reservation to spend the day with Jacob and Billy so they wouldn't be alone."

Bella smiled. "Please give them both my best. Pass along my wish for a happy holidays to Jacob and Billy, as well."

"I will," Sue promised.

~*~CIBD~*~

Shortly after dinner, Sue and Charlie left, saying they wanted to stop over in La Push and say hello to her kids and the Blacks. Charlie had given me a one-armed, manly style of hug, and the expression on Bella's face when she saw it was one of pure happiness.

Once the food was put away, we all gathered in the living room to watch New Orleans versus Dallas. The group had been split about fifty-fifty on sides, so when New Orleans won by three points, Bella and I got to lord it over Emmett, who'd been staunchly rooting for Dallas.

As soon as the game was over, Drill Sergeant Alice appeared again. "Okay, people, listen up," she called. "The first store we wanna get to opens at five."

"In the morning?" Emmett yelped, his voice about two octaves higher than normal.

"Yes, Emmett," she replied, rolling her eyes. "You knew that already." She gave him a "Duh!" look before speaking again. "Anyway, that means we need to leave by one thirty at the latest. Try to get some sleep, but if you can't, at least try to rest. We have a lot of shopping to do tomorrow!"

I looked at the clock. It was about eight, so we had just over five hours. Plenty of time for what I wanted, plus time to squeeze in a nap. I took Bella's hand and said, "Say good night, Bella."

She looked at me strangely and then repeated, "Good night, Bella."

Rolling my eyes, I chuckled at her. "Good night, everyone," I called as I pulled her toward the stairs. "See you in the morning."

"One thirty, Edward!" Alice yelled from the living room. "Don't be late! I have this feeling something messes up my plans for shopping with your girlfriend, and if it's because you're late, I'll hunt you down!"

I looked at Bella, who giggled into my shoulder as I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close. "My sister can be rather frightening sometimes," I murmured, leading her up the stairs.

She simply nodded, still trying to control the giggles.

When we got up to my room, I closed the door, pulled Bella into a hug, and told her, "You can take the bathroom first, if you want a shower or anything before we try to sleep."

Instead of pulling away like I thought she would, Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed herself closer to me until her lips hovered over mine. "What if I said—" she brushed her lips lightly across mine "—that a shower isn't what I want right now?"

My dick hardened instantly as her breathy words registered. "Wh—" I had to clear my throat to get the words out. "What _do_ you want, Bella love?"

I felt her fingers slide into the hair at the base of my neck, just before her whispered word registered in my head.

"You."

I knew Bella had been resistant earlier about sex here, so as much as it pained me, I held back when she tried to close the last bit of space between us. "What about not wanting to make love in my parents' house?" I asked softly, still holding her close.

She laughed quietly. "That was before someone sent me a naughty, but oh-so-yummy, picture of himself this afternoon." Looking up at me from under lowered lashes, she continued, "Do you think you can be quiet, Edward?"

I scoffed silently, raising an eyebrow. "What about you, Ms. Swan? Do you think _you_ can be quiet?"

"Let's find out, shall we?" She grinned and once more pulled my head down for a kiss.

This time, I let her.

We kissed until I felt her knees beginning to go out from under her, and then I scooped her into my arms and laid her down in the middle of the bed. After shedding my clothes, I joined her, pulling her to me for another kiss.

When my lips left hers again, Bella whimpered softly and tried pulling me back up, but I just shook my head and pressed a kiss to her collarbone, nosing aside her shirt to get to the sensitive skin underneath.

"You have on entirely too many clothes," I murmured, trailing my hand up her side and pulling her T-shirt up with it.

She sat up enough to allow me to pull the shirt over her head, and then she leaned forward to kiss me as my fingers quickly found the catch on her bra, undoing it with practiced ease. I slowly slid the straps down her arms and pulled the dark blue, lacy garment from her body.

Her breasts were perfect: round, just enough for my hands, and tipped with light pink nipples that simply begged to be suckled and teased.

And suckle and tease them I did. My fingers plucked at one as my lips closed around the other. Bella's back arched as my tongue circled the tightened bud over and over, leaving damp trails over her silky skin. When I scraped my teeth lightly over the sensitive skin, Bella whimpered.

I raised my head just enough to whisper, "Quiet, love, or we'll hafta stop."

She nodded and breathed deeply, watching me as I dipped my head again.

I pressed open-mouthed kisses across her chest to the other peak and then began laving that breast with nips and teases and wet kisses like I had the first. The moisture I'd left on her skin made it easy to tweak the nipple I didn't have my lips around.

Bella was whimpering soundlessly, her breaths coming in uneven, silent gasps. "More," she breathed as she began rubbing her thighs together, trying to get some friction where I knew she needed it most.

Looking up at her without raising my head, I moved my hand down and cupped her through her jeans. "Is this what you want, Bella?" I asked so quietly, I knew she could barely hear me.

She whimpered again, thrusting herself up against my hand, and nodded. "Please," she begged softly.

I honestly couldn't find it in me to tease her any longer. We both wanted the same thing—to be joined together. I rid her of her jeans as quickly as humanly possible. Without a word, I turned her so she was facing away from me, her back to my front, and slid into her from behind.

Lying on our sides like we were, our bodies were touching everywhere. The gently rounded cheeks of her behind were pressed up against my groin. Her head was resting on my bicep. I felt the coarse hairs on my legs as they rubbed against the smooth skin on the backs of hers. My free hand was cupping her breast, lightly pinching and tugging the nipple, making her writhe against me.

Our world was nearly silent as we made love spooned together like we were. There was no hard thrusts, no teasing...just a complete and utter feeling of being one. I was as close to her at that moment as I possibly could be, and just the thought of it sent me racing to the edge.

Wanting, needing Bella to go over with me, I trailed my fingers lightly down the soft skin of her stomach, until they brushed over the curls at the apex of her thighs. I could feel myself sliding in and out of her in short strokes and felt the arousal from us both spilling out around me. I dragged my finger up to the top of her lips, and when I circled my finger around her sensitive nub, Bella turned her head to my arm to stifle her cries as she clenched around me.

Her orgasm triggered my own, and I came silently, burying my face in her neck and breathing heavily.

For long moments, we lay together, still joined and panting, until our heartbeats slowly returned to normal. With a quiet groan, I slid out of her and off the bed, making my way to the bathroom to clean up. When I finished, I wet a washcloth with warm water and brought it back out to the bedroom.

Bella had turned over onto her back and was watching me with hooded eyes, a wholly satisfied look on her face. She hummed her quiet approval as I gently cleaned her, and when I tossed the cloth toward the bathroom and slid us under the covers, she reached up quietly to turn off the light beside the bed.

Turning over to face me, she kissed me softly before saying, "I love you, Edward."

I smiled at my beautiful girl, the moonlight streaming in from the windows illuminating her slightly, and responded the only way I could. "As I you, Bella, my love." I pressed a sweet kiss to her lips and then murmured, "Sleep."

As soon as her eyes slid closed, I allowed my own to close as well, quickly joining her in a peaceful slumber.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

My cell phone, still in my jeans pocket from earlier in the day, woke me from a sound sleep sometime later in the night. I knew Edward had tossed my clothes off the side of the bed, so I disentangled myself from his arms and leaned down to fumble through my clothes until I found the intrusive noise.

Without bothering to check the caller ID, I hit Answer and mumbled, "Hullo?"

The next thing I heard had me sitting up, the blanket clenched in a fist at my chest.

"Ms. Swan?" a strange man's voice said. At my mumbled _yes__,_ he continued, "This is Detective Eli Jordan from the Port Angeles Police Department."


	35. Chapter 35

**Bella's POV**

A million things ran through my mind when the caller on the other end of the line identified himself as a detective from the Port Angeles Police Department. Charlie wouldn't have any reason to be there. Angela and Ben were in Seattle, hosting Thanksgiving for their families at their house. I didn't have any other close friends or any family there. The only thing I had was...

My store.

"O-Okay," I mumbled, suddenly apprehensive about hearing whatever the man was going to tell me.

Edward had woken up when the phone rang, and from the way he was gripping my hand, I knew he could tell something was wrong. He reached over with one hand to flick on the light by his side of the bed, and then he motioned for me to put the phone on speaker.

Just as the detective began talking again, I pushed the speakerphone button so Edward could hear the conversation.

"Ma'am, we got your cell phone number from your alarm company," Detective Jordan said. "I'm sorry to have to call and tell you, but your apartment was broken into tonight."

I gasped, squeezing Edward's hand tighter. "I—" My voice cracked, so I swallowed hard before attempting to continue. "I'm down in Forks for the holiday. Did you, uh..." I stopped, my mind drawing a complete blank as to what I needed to ask. I simply couldn't focus; I was numb with shock.

When I looked at Edward blankly, he held his hand out, offering to take the phone. I gave it to him gladly and then curled into his embrace when he dropped my hand and opened his arm to me.

"Hello?" he said into the phone. "This is Bella's boyfriend. I own the music store next door to her place. She's a bit overwhelmed at the moment."

"Your name, sir?" Detective Jordan asked.

"Edward Cullen," he answered impatiently. "Can you tell us any more about what happened?"

"The silent alarm was triggered at Ms. Swan's apartment just before midnight tonight. Patrols were dispatched within minutes and arrived at the apartment at ten minutes after twelve. On arrival, they found a man inside the apartment. The suspect had been able to do some damage already. Most was done to the bed—the mattress was ripped to shreds by a knife we found in his possession—and he'd begun work on the clothes hanging in Ms. Swan's closet. We also believe he rifled through the dresser—uh, specifically the drawers containing more intimate items of clothing."

I immediately felt like I needed a shower, knowing someone had been in my apartment, had touched my clothes—my underwear, for fuck's sake—and had done damage to my new bed. I felt dirty. Used. Edward must have sensed it, because he pulled me in tighter to his chest.

"How did he get in?" Edward asked the detective.

"We found a set of lock picks in his pocket that we believe he used to jimmy the deadbolt and knob." He cleared his throat. "I know it won't be comfortable, but we'd like Ms. Swan to come down to the station as soon as she's back in town to see if she recognizes the man who was in her apartment."

"Okay, well, we'd planned to be back sometime tomorrow evening, so would—"

I interrupted Edward with a shake of my head. "No, we'll...uh, we'll be there first thing in the morning. I'm not so much in the Black Friday shopping mood anymore," I muttered, feeling tears welling in my eyes.

"That would be good," Detective Jordan replied. "Just ask for me when you come in to the station later today. And Ms. Swan, I _am_ sorry for having to call you with this news."

"Thank you, Detective," Edward said before hanging up the phone and pulling me more fully into his arms.

I trembled as he held me, but I willed the tears back. I'd gotten through much worse than this, and with Edward by my side, I felt as if I could get through anything.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

After hanging up with the detective, I cradled Bella protectively in my arms, simply holding her, pressing kisses gently to the top of her bed head, until her trembling slowed. I knew we needed to tell the rest of the family about the break-in and that we wouldn't be going shopping with them, but I also knew that any minute, Alice would be banging down our door if she didn't hear us stirring.

"Bella, love," I murmured softly, hesitant to interrupt what tentative peace she'd found.

"Hmm?" she sighed.

"Do you wanna come out and tell the rest of the family what happened, or do you wanna stay in here? You can go back to sleep, or get up and take a shower, or…" I shrugged. "You just let me know what _you_ wanna do, and I'll do whatever I can."

She shook her head. "I'll go out with you, if that's okay."

I nodded. "That's fine." Pursing my lips, I thought for a moment before continuing. "Do you wanna get dressed while I gather everyone in the living room? That way you don't have to put yourself through the pain of telling the story more than once."

Bella looked at the clock beside the bed. "Yeah, that would be fine. Everyone's supposed to be getting up about now anyway." She leaned up and kissed my jaw before saying softly, "Thank you, Edward."

"No need to thank me, baby. I'm here however you need me," I promised.

I held her for another minute before climbing out of bed. After throwing on some sleep pants and a T-shirt, I headed to the door. "Come out when you're ready," I told her before slipping out the door.

I made a quick circuit of the bedrooms, knocking lightly and telling first my dad, and then Jasper and Emmett, about needing a quick family meeting in the living room. They each promised to gather the others and meet me downstairs.

"What's going on, Edward?" my father asked as he and Mom walked into the living room. The other four walked in right behind them.

"Something happened at Bella's apartment earlier. Please, just sit, and as soon as Bella comes down, I'll explain. She wanted to be down here, too."

I was on one end of the couch, and my mom at the other, with my dad perched on the arm beside her. Jasper took the chair before pulling a tired-looking Alice down on his lap. Emmett and Rose collapsed on the floor beside the chair, and Rose immediately lay down with her head in his lap.

We only had to wait a couple of minutes before Bella came in, wearing a pair of pajama shorts and a long-sleeved pajama top. She'd pulled her hair back in a clip and added a pair of thick wool socks to her feet.

"Morning," she mumbled, looking around the room. She sat down beside me, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"What's going on, Bella?" My mother repeated my father's words from a few minutes before. "You can talk to us, honey." She turned in her seat to face Bella and placed a comforting hand on Bella's knee.

Bella looked over at me, her eyes welling with tears, obviously overcome. Her sad brown eyes were silently asking me to tell the story.

I smiled gently at her before turning to my parents. "We were woken by a phone call from a detective with the Port Angeles Police Department. Bella's apartment was broken into at midnight tonight."

There were gasps around the room, and Alice and Rose sat up from where they'd been lying on Jasper and Emmett. Everyone looked shocked and worried.

"Did they catch the person?" my father asked immediately.

I nodded. "The police arrived about ten minutes after the silent alarm was tripped and found him destroying her clothes."

Alice growled, earning an almost hysterical chuckle from the woman beside me. "Sorry," she murmured, glancing at Bella with a sympathetic frown.

"I'm assuming you're going to go back home in the morning?" my mother asked, looking at Bella and then me.

"Yes," Bella agreed, glancing at me worriedly before looking over at Alice with a frown. "I'm not a huge fan of shopping on a normal day. I'm really not up for fighting the Black Friday crowds. Sorry," she murmured, clearly worried my sister would be upset.

Rubbing her arm lightly, I said, "Don't worry, Bella. Alice understands." I looked at my sister. "Right?"

"Of course," Alice answered quickly. "I wouldn't even feel up to it if it were me, Bella. Don't worry, okay?" She smiled, and it brightened when Bella smiled slightly back at her.

"Bella," my mom began. "Sweetheart, would you like me to go to Port Angeles with you? I know Edward will be there, but it might help to have a mom there, as well."

Bella's eyes filled with tears again. When she nodded, she couldn't hold them in, and they began coursing down her cheeks. My mother pulled Bella into her arms and simply held her quietly.

Emmett asked softly, "Do you need us, bro? You and Bella are more important than any shopping we'll do today."

The rest of the family nodded in agreement.

"No," Bella said, looking around as she wiped the tears from her face. "Please, you all go and have fun. No one was hurt; it was just things. It doesn't sound like any of my more special things were damaged—just clothes and the bed. I'll be fine with Edward and your mom." She smiled, chuckling softly. "Besides, Ali, this will give you and Rose a chance to get me some new clothes. I know you've been dying to go shopping for me."

"Excellent!" piped my sister and Rose.

The whole family laughed in response.

"Okay, then," Alice said, checking the clock over the TV. "Let's get moving. We need to be out of here in half an hour."

She came over and pulled Bella into a hug, murmuring softly into her ear—something about calling her if she needed her, and shopping could go fly a kite—and then skipped out of the room with Jasper, as soon as he'd given Bella a smile.

Rose came over and patted Bella's shoulder. "Don't let this get you too down, okay, honey? Like you said, they're just things. The most important things are you weren't there, and they caught the guy. Listen to Edward. He's a good guy, and he loves you. He'll take care of you."

"Thanks, Rose," Bella said, smiling at her. "Have fun."

"We will. I'll try to keep Alice from going too crazy, okay?" she said, winking at my girl.

Bella nodded, chuckling.

Emmett came bounding over and pulled Bella into an Emmett-sized hug. "Call if you need us, okay, Bella-boo? I don't mind getting together and kicking a little burglar ass."

"Emmett," our mother sighed, shaking her head.

Bella giggled and nodded. "Thanks, Em, I will."

He and Rose left the living room to get ready, leaving just Bella, myself, and my parents in the room.

With his hand on my mom's shoulders, my dad asked, "Bella, if there's anything I can do, please let me know, all right?"

Bella nodded once. "Thanks, Carlisle, I will," she told him before yawning sleepily.

"Get some sleep, kids. I'm going to go get ready and go with the others to Seattle, but remember," he prompted, "I'm just a phone call away."

"Thanks, Dad," I murmured before standing. "Mom, let's plan on getting out of here before nine, if that's okay?"

"Of course," she agreed. "I'm going to see the others off and then get some more sleep myself." She smiled at us both before taking my dad's hand and heading upstairs.

Bella's eyes were half-mast when I leaned down and scooped her up. She'd been tired before the phone call, but the stress of the current situation had completely worn her out. She gave a halfhearted protest, claiming to be too heavy, but I ignored her, carried her upstairs, and slid her into bed.

After climbing in beside her, I set the alarm on my phone and put it on the bedside table beside the lamp. With a flick of my finger, the bedroom was plunged into darkness. I pulled Bella into my arms, her back to my front, and heard her sigh softly. Just before sleep pulled me under, I felt her fingers wrap around mine, holding my arm securely around her waist.


	36. Chapter 36

**Bella's POV**

Esme had offered to drive Edward's car, so I was snuggled against his side in the back seat, getting more and more tense the closer we got to Port Angeles. Esme was keeping up a running commentary of stories from her time overseas with Carlisle, and that was doing an okay job of distracting me. Edward was also helping; he'd wrapped me in his embrace—as best he could with us both buckled in seat belts—moments after we climbed into the car, and he hadn't let me go. He hadn't stopped touching me: fingers tracing circles on my palm, soft kisses brushed across my temple...it all combined to keep me feeling as loved and as calm as I could possibly be under the circumstances.

"We're going directly to the station, right?" Esme asked, looking back at us in the rearview mirror.

I felt Edward nod before he said, "I think that's best. I'm assuming they've already cleared out from Bella's apartment, but in case they haven't, this way we'll know." He turned to look at me. "Is that okay with you, Bella?"

"Mmhmm," I answered, agreeing wholeheartedly. "We can go to the apartment after talking to Detective Jordan."

I was trying to be strong; I really was. I _wasn't_ at home when the man broke in. They _were_ just things. But honestly, I was feeling violated, regardless. They were _my_ things. Some stranger had dared to come into _my_ home and mess with _my_ things.

_Okay, so maybe there's some anger mixed in with the other feelings,_ I thought, snorting to myself.

Feeling that anger helped give me some starch in my backbone, something to focus on other than the feelings of violation. I sat up a bit straighter and smiled over at Edward, keeping my fingers entwined with his as we made our way through town towards the station. He gave me a look, just a small smile and a nod, that made me feel proud of myself and reinforced the feeling that I would get through this and come out stronger in the long run.

Being that early in the morning on the day after Thanksgiving, there were several parking spots directly in front of the police station available. After Esme pulled into the one closest to the door, Edward stepped out and offered me his hand. He helped me out of the car before closing the door behind me. With Edward on one side of me and Esme at my back, we walked inside.

Just inside the doors was the front desk, manned by a uniformed officer who looked no older than myself. He must've been a rookie, because his uniform looked brand new, his hair was cut short—almost military-like—and he was watching the door like a hawk. "Good morning. What can I do for you?" he asked as soon as we got to the counter.

"Um, hi," I nearly stammered out. "My name's Bella Swan. Um, Isabella. I'm supposed to meet with Detective Jordan."

The officer looked down at something in front of him and then back up, nodding at me as he picked up the phone.

"Have a seat," he said, motioning to the row of chair alongside the doors. "He'll be right up."

As the officer spoke quietly on the phone, Esme and I sat in two of the chairs. Edward stood beside me, a hand resting on my shoulder and one of his fingers stroking the side of my neck softly. I didn't even notice that one of my legs was bouncing until Esme put a soothing hand on my knee.

"It's going to be okay, sweetie," she said softly, patting my leg gently.

I smiled gratefully at her. It was nice having a mother-figure with me. Edward was being as supportive as I could possibly ask, but sometimes, a girl just needed a mother. Since my own mom wasn't able to be with me, having Esme there was the best possible substitute.

Soon, we heard footsteps coming down the hall to our right. I looked up to see a tall, light-skinned black man coming into view. He was wearing a simple black suit, with a dark gray dress shirt and metallic gray tie. Wire-rimmed glasses were perched on his nose, and he nudged them up farther before reaching out a hand.

"Bella Swan?" he asked, flashing a friendly smile in my direction.

I nodded and shook his hand. "That's me." I tilted my head at Edward and then Esme. "This is my boyfriend, Edward Cullen, and his mother, Esme."

"Nice to meet you," he responded, shaking Edward's hand and smiling at Esme. He looked over at the officer behind the desk. "Thanks, Stephens. I've got them."

The officer at the front desk nodded and resumed watching the front doors.

"Follow me," Detective Jordan said to us. He added, "Could I get anyone anything to drink?"

"No, thank you," I said softly, listening as Edward and Esme echoed my answer.

We followed him down the hall, walking just as we had when we came into the station—Edward's hand in mine and Esme at my back.

The detective led us to a small conference room off the side of a large bullpen. As soon as we were all inside, Detective Jordan shut the door and then moved one of the chairs around so the three of us could sit on one side of the table, while he took the single chair left on the other side.

Edward held both chairs out for his mom and me and then took the third seat on my other side. He immediately reached out, threaded his fingers through mine, and set our joined hands on his thigh.

"Okay, Ms. Swan, let me—"

"Please, call me Bella," I interrupted.

"Bella." He smiled slightly and then turned his attention back to the open file folder in front of him. "Like I mentioned on the phone last night, the silent alarm was triggered from your apartment just before midnight last night. By the time uniforms arrived on scene, the man had already been able to do substantial damage to your property."

"You, uh, mentioned a knife?" I asked around the lump in my throat.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered. "According to his statement"—he made air quotes around the word—"at the scene, he broke into your apartment. Upon realizing you weren't home, he took the knife he'd brought with him and tore through some of the clothes in the closet. From there, he moved to the dresser. Several of the drawers were opened and had obviously been gone through. When officers found him..." His voice trailed off, and he looked up at my sympathetically.

I squeezed Edward's hand tighter, needing reassurance, somehow knowing whatever else the detective was going to say was worse than what I'd already heard.

"He'd shredded the mattress and was standing beside the bed, using a pair of...delicates to masturbate. There was already ejaculate present when the officers interrupted him," he explained softly.

"Oh, God," I moaned, covering my mouth with my free hand. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Could you give us a minute, please?" I heard Esme ask.

"Yes, certainly," he responded. "I'll go get some water for her. Just stick your head out the door when you're ready for me."

"Bella, love, take slow, deep breaths," Edward said softly beside my ear. "Don't think of anything besides breathing."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

My attention was solely focused on Bella beside me. I barely registered the click of the door when the detective left the room or my mom scooting her chair closer and rubbing Bella's back.

Bella was whimpering softly, rocking back and forth and holding her stomach. I crouched down beside her chair and looked up at her.

"I'm right here, Bella," I murmured when she moaned softly. "It's all right, love. Just take your time. Deep breaths. You can do it."

I was worried she was going to hyperventilate.

Finally, Bella took a shuddering breath and sat up, clutching my hand tightly. She was shaking and pale, but didn't look nearly as sick as she had.

"Are you ready, Bella? We can wait if you aren't."

She swallowed and then nodded. "I'm okay," she said, her voice a little raw.

With a nod of my head, I motioned for my mom to get the detective.

As my mom poked her head out the door, I slid up into my chair and took her hand again.

Bella gave it a squeeze and looked over at me with a tremulous smile. She'd had a bit of a panic attack and had felt sick, but she was much more calm now.

I, on the other hand, was having to actively work to keep my features arranged in a supportive smile and not let on how extraordinarily pissed off and disgusted I felt inside. If I wasn't needed here, nothing could have stopped me from tearing apart everything and everyone in this police station to find the man who had desecrated my love's privacy. I'd never felt this level of pent-up rage before in my life.

Detective Jordan slid into his seat and passed Bella the small cup of water he'd brought in for her.

"Ready to continue?" he asked sympathetically. At her nod, he said, "I'm going to show you a photo, and I'd like you to tell me if you recognize the man." He pulled a picture out, setting it face down on the table between him and Bella.

"Okay," Bella said, nodding once.

He turned the photo over, and immediately, Bella stiffened.

"That's him," she muttered softly.

From the description I remembered her giving me at the time, the mug shot of the man in front of her was the guy who'd come into her store over a month before. Laurent.

"You recognize him?" Detective Jordan asked.

"He—" Bella paused, taking a deep breath. "He came into my store a couple of months ago. He asked me several questions about my store and apartment, whether I lived alone. They seemed innocent enough, like he was interested in the building and store itself, but something about him scared me. Some friends of mine happened to stop by, and they scared him off. I haven't seen him since."

"Who is he?" I growled, nearly losing control of my temper. I calmed slightly when Bella squeezed my hand.

"His name is Laurent Moreau. He was released three months ago from the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona."

Bella gasped, and her hand clenched mine with enough force that I knew I'd have a bruise.

"That has some significance to you?" he asked, looking from Bella, to me, and then back to Bella.

She nodded. "My ex-boyfriend, from college, is in prison there."

"His name?" the detective asked, opening the folder in front of him. "Just for verification."

"James Powell."

Detective Jordan nodded slowly. "Powell was Moreau's cell mate for the last two and a half years, up until he was released."

"James told him about me?" Bella asked, and I heard her swallow visibly.

"It appears so," the detective answered. "According to Mr. Moreau's statement, Powell spoke about you on multiple occasions. It seems like Mr. Moreau became...obsessed with you, and when he was released, he made the decision to find you."

"How did he?" I jumped in to ask. "How did he track Bella to Port Angeles, of all places?"

"We're still looking into that, but from what Mr. Moreau has admitted, he tracked down your father on the Internet—a case from last year that had Chief Swan's name in the news—and a few months ago, I'm betting just before he showed up at your store, he broke in to your father's house and found your new address written on a paper by the phone."

Bella looked sick to her stomach, and I wanted to get her out of there as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the detective continued his questions.

We spent a few more minutes going over everything with the detective, and then he slid a business card across the desk. "With all the evidence against him and the violent nature of the crime—not to mention his statement—I don't anticipate Moreau making bail. If he does, I'll let you know. The number I reached you at last night is the one to use if I need to get in touch with you?"

"Yes," Bella said, nodding, before reaching out and taking his card.

"All right. Your apartment has been cleared by the CSIs, so you're free to go home. Please don't hesitate to call if you have any questions or concerns about the case or Moreau," he said, gathering up the photo and papers into the file.

"Thank you," Bella murmured, sliding the card into her pocket.

I held my hand out for the detective to shake and said, "Thanks. Please call if you learn any more about Powell."

"Will do." He walked to the door and said, "Wait just a moment, and someone will be here to walk you back to the front."

I nodded, and as he walked out, I gathered Bella up into a hug, cradling her carefully in my arms until her shaking stopped. My mom came up behind Bella and took her from me, pulling her into her own hug.

"I won't ask how you're doing," she told her, "but know that you're safe and that my family and I will do everything we can to help you through this."

"Thanks," Bella said with a sniffle, her voice muffled in my mom's shirt.

I saw a uniformed policeman standing just outside the door.

"Come on, love," I said, wrapping my arm around her waist. "Let's get out of here."

"'Kay," she agreed, snuggling close to me as we walked out, following the officer.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

We drove home the same way we'd driven from Forks: Esme in the driver's seat, Edward and me in the back. When we pulled up at the stores, Esme parked, and we all climbed out of the car. Immediately, I slid my hand into Edward's.

At the top of the stairs, Edward gave my hand a squeeze and asked, "Why don't you and my mom go on in to my apartment, and I'll go take a quick look at your place by myself?"

I was quiet a minute, giving it serious consideration. The idea had definite merits. Did I really want to see what was left from Laurent's break-in? No...

But I needed to.

"No," I said, my voice shaky, but firm. "I need to do this. Let's just get it over with."

"I'll just wait in Edward's apartment," Esme told us. "Unless you'd like me in there with you." She looked at me questioningly.

I shook my head. "I'll be okay with Edward there. Thanks, Esme."

"My pleasure, sweetheart." She smiled and then looked at Edward. "Keys, son?"

Edward, who had his keys already out of his pocket, handed them to his mother. "Bella, do you have yours?"

Nodding, I pulled them from my pocket and handed them to him.

As soon as Esme was inside Edward's apartment with the door closed behind her, he led me to my own door. After unlocking it, he paused with his hand on the knob.

"Are you sure, love?" His voice was soft, wrapping around me like a warm blanket and caressing my senses.

"No," I answered truthfully, "but let's just get it done so it's over with."

He nodded and opened the door.

From the front door, the apartment looked no different than it had when we left the day before, aside from the dirty tracks left on the carpet and the powder residue left along the door frame and edge of the door from the collection of evidence.

We were quiet as we walked down the hall. I went first, slowly, with Edward at my back. There was a strand of police tape the CSIs had missed in the hall a few feet from my door. I reached down to grab it, holding it tightly in my fist and taking a deep breath before moving the last few feet into my room.

I froze just inside the doorway. The first thing my mind processed was the lack of bedding on the bed. The mattress had been stripped, and all the bedding, including the pillows, was gone. There were four gaping rips in the top of the mattress itself, and I could see the inside stuffing and springs through the tears in the fabric.

Slowly turning to take in the rest of the room, my gaze fell first on the closet. Everything I could see had at least one slash from Laurent's knife, and many were in tatters. My knees began to feel weak, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

I turned a bit more, and the dresser came into view. Fingerprint powder covered many of the drawers, as well as the top. Two of the drawers were empty, having been dumped out, several were just pulled open a little, and the top left drawer was pulled completely open. From there, I could see my underwear, which had obviously all been riffled through.

I swallowed hard, trying again to keep from throwing up, and suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. I heard an angry growl and then a loud crash from behind me.

It was all too much. I felt my mind shutting down, and then thankfully, there was nothing but darkness.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

Bella and I stepped into the room, and I had to work not to be sick. The room looked like a war zone. The clothes—including the beautiful blue dress she'd worn for our first date—were in shreds, and the mattress was bare; there was nothing to hide the destruction to the bed, since the police had collected all the bedding.

I felt absolutely sick to my stomach with anger and even grief that, had this happened a few nights ago, Bella might have been in the bed when the fucker had broken in. Would it have been her body with the wounds instead of the mattress? Was this all just a substitute for what he'd wanted to do to my Bella?

My hands were closed in tight fists as I let my gaze wander from the bed to the dresser. When I saw the piles of lace and satin and cotton, I lost it. I growled in anger, knowing the sick bastard had put his hands on all those most personal, intimate items of clothing. He'd used at least one of them in his sick fantasies.

Before I knew it, I reacted. My calm was gone as I spun on my heel and threw my fist through the wall.

Until the pain hit, I didn't even realize what I'd done. When I pulled my arm back, my hand was bloody. I'd broken the skin on all my knuckles, and blood was beginning to trickle down my fist to my arm. Immediately, I felt ashamed. This wasn't how I should be reacting. My Bella needed me to be stro—

"Bella!" I cried as I turned back around and saw her in a heap on the floor. "Shit!"


	37. Chapter 37

**Esme's POV**

I heard pounding on the door to the apartment, and then Edward's voice called, "Mom, open the door!"

Jumping quickly from the sofa, I moved to the door and opened it to see a terrified-looking Edward, holding Bella in his arms.

"What happened?" I asked. Then I noticed his hand. "What did you do, Edward?" My voice rose with every word.

"I hit the wall," he explained. "I'm okay, but something happened with Bella. I think she passed out."

"Did she hit her head?" I grabbed his arm and gently pulled him inside, shutting the door behind them. "Come in and put her on the sofa."

He walked the few feet to the couch and set her down, smearing blood on the cushion in the process.

"I don't think so," he said. "There wasn't anything around for her to have hit."

Well, that was something, at least.

"Okay, I'll sit with Bella and call your father. You go get cleaned up." He started to argue, but I held up a hand. "Go, Edward. We'll be fine. I'm sure she'll wake up any moment, and you don't want her to see you like that."

He looked down and jerked in shock, like he was just noticing the blood that covered the back of his hand and ran in rivulets down his arm.

"Fuck," he hissed, waving his arm slightly. "Shit, that stings!"

"Language," I admonished. "Now go."

I was already sitting on the coffee table in front of Bella and pulling out my phone to call my husband when Edward left the room.

As the phone rang, I softly brushed Bella's hair away from her face. She was already beginning to stir, and my touch seemed to calm her slightly.

"Hi, sweetheart," Carlisle answered. "Hold on; let me go somewhere a little more quiet."

I chuckled softly, hearing my loud children in the background.

The noise got progressively quieter, until I could barely hear anything, and then my husband spoke again. "All right. I stepped into the car and asked them to wait outside until I was off the phone," he said. "How did it go?"

"It was brutal," I answered honestly. "Actually, I'm calling because Bella fainted. At least, I assume that's what happened. Your son wasn't very forthcoming with the details. They went over to check out her apartment when we got finished at the station, and he came in just now, carrying an unconscious Bella."

Carlisle immediately went into doctor mode. "Did she hit her head?"

"I asked, and he said he didn't think so. There was nothing around for her to hit it on, apparently."

"How's her breathing? Do you see any obvious signs of injury?"

I looked down at Bella again to see her eyes open, staring up at me.

"I'm okay," she murmured. "I think I hyperventilated and passed out from the stress of seeing everything."

I smiled and spoke into the phone again. "She's awake."

"Good. Let me speak to her, if she feels up to it," he told me.

Holding the phone toward her, I asked, "Can you talk to Carlisle, Bella?"

She nodded and took the phone. "Hi, Carlisle."

I could hear him through the phone, but couldn't make out any of the words.

"Uh-huh," Bella answered. "No, no headache and nothing hurts."

I watched as she moved her arms and legs and then tilted her head a couple of times.

More talking from my husband, and then she answered, "I promise. Thanks, Carlisle." She handed the phone back to me. "He wants to talk to you." She glanced around nervously. "Where's Edward?"

I frowned. "In the bathroom. He..." I wasn't sure what to tell her. "He hurt his hand and is cleaning it off."

Bella jumped up. "Thanks."

I watched as she rushed out of the room and then turned my attention back to the phone.

"So how's it going there?" I asked into the phone, ready to take my mind off everything serious for a few minutes.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

As I rushed into Edward's bedroom on the way to the bathroom, I knew whatever had happened to his hand had to have something to do with the loud crash I'd heard back in my apartment. He'd been so calm last night and this morning, but I could tell from the set of his shoulders, the lines on his forehead and around his eyes, and the way he kept touching me like he couldn't bear to be apart, that he was barely holding it together. I'd be surprised if he hadn't seen the chaos that was my bedroom and just lost it.

I could heard his soft curses as I entered the room, and when I walked into the bathroom, I saw him standing at the sink, dabbing at his knuckles with a cotton ball.

"Bella," he said, frowning slightly. "How are you feeling?"

Shaking my head, I answered, "I'm fine. I talked to your dad, and we both think I just hyperventilated and passed out from that and the stress. I promised to go to the ER if I started feeling sick or dizzy." I took the cotton ball from him, added more of the hydrogen peroxide from the open bottle on the counter, and began dabbing at the open wounds on his hand. "I'm more concerned about you right now." Pausing, I continued, "Edward, what in the world happened?"

He looked sheepish. "I, uh, punched the wall."

I rolled my eyes. "That's what I figured." I threw away the cotton ball and held his hand up to my lips. After blowing lightly on the scrapes and cuts, I reached down for a Band-Aid. "Did it make you feel better?" I asked, smirking.

"Mm, little bit," he admitted, grinning. He took the other opened Band-Aid from me and pressed it to the other spot that needed it most while I screwed the lid back on the peroxide and put it back in the cabinet. Then he held his uninjured hand out to me. "Come on. Let's go sit and talk."

"'Kay," I agreed, turning the light off on our way out of the bathroom.

"Want to sit in here, or go back out with my mom in the living room?" he asked, pausing at the bed.

Shrugging, I said, "Let's go out there. No need to leave Esme out there by herself."

He smiled and walked with me out to the sofa, where I sat down between the two of them.

"So...yeah," I started, unsure of how Edward was going to react to the decision I'd made. "After seeing that, there's no way I'm gonna feel comfortable staying there—at least, not for a while. I'm gonna ask Rose and Alice if I can stay with one of them while I look for an apartment."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Esme nod slowly, but my attention was centered on Edward and his reaction.

"Why not move in here?" he asked quietly.

"I guess I just assumed you wouldn't want me to yet. I mean, we've only been dating a few mon—"

He interrupted me with a finger to my lips. "Bella, love, I'd planned to ask you to move in here with me in a few weeks anyway." He shrugged. "We spend almost every night together already, either here or over there, right? That way, we don't have to run back and forth to get clothes and stuff every morning."

"Really?" I asked, feeling my heart pound at the thought of taking a big step forward in our relationship.

He nodded. "Absolutely."

"You don't think we're rushing it?" I knew how much I loved him, and I didn't feel like we were rushing things, but I was worried not only that he would, but also about the reactions from everyone else. "Would that bother your family?"

"No," Edward answered, shaking his head. "I know how I feel, and I believe you feel the same. So no, I don't think we're rushing into anything."

Esme chuckled. "Bella, remind me to tell you the story of how Carlisle and I met sometime, okay? Trust me when I say it wouldn't bother us in the slightest."

I smiled and nodded, tucking that question away to ask at a later date, and then turned back to Edward.

"Okay," I murmured softly, smiling up at him.

He pulled me gently into his lap and wrapped his arms around me, kissing me softly and quickly in deference to his mother being right in front of us.

"I guess we could use my apartment for storage," I mused, thinking aloud.

Edward thought for a moment and then said, "You know what? Sasha mentioned last week that her lease is up at the end of December, and she was gonna be looking for another place."

"You think she'd want to rent my apartment?" I asked curiously.

"I'm sure she would. It's right next door to work and not far from the night classes she takes at the junior college down the road. It's the right size, since it's just her. She's always liked the layout of this apartment, so I know she'd enjoy it over there."

I looked askance at him. "She's been up here?"

He chuckled. "She's worked for me for two years, love. I've sent her up here quite a few times for things I needed downstairs that I forgot, or so she could study while she ate lunch while I gave lessons downstairs, and other things like that."

"Ah." I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, embarrassed because of the irrational jealous streak that had shot through me.

Edward laughed softly and hugged me tighter.

"So uh, anyway, obviously I'm gonna get rid of the furniture in the bedroom." I shuddered just thinking about it. "Should I just leave everything for her?"

Esme looked around the apartment. "I've been trying to get him to get rid of this sofa for a year," she said, looking down and then back up at Edward, rolling her eyes. "Yours is much nicer, Bella. I would suggest bringing over your sofa and bookshelf, at least. But I'd leave the TV stand over there. I think this one will do."

We all looked over at Edward's huge entertainment center and laughed.

"If you want, love," Edward said softly, "you're more than welcome to move all of your living room and dining room furniture in here, and then we could move my stuff over there for Sasha. Your stuff's newer and much nicer than mine, and I want you to feel comfortable and at home."

My heart melted. "I'll definitely think about it, okay? For now, let's plan on at least the sofa and bookshelf."

He nodded.

"Bella," Esme said quietly, "not to bring up a worrisome subject, but Alice passed along a message through Carlisle a few minutes ago."

I raised an eyebrow in question.

"She said not to wait to tell your father about the break-in. If you do, she thinks he'll find out some other way and be more upset about it than if you told him now yourself."

I sighed, knowing Alice was right. "She's right," I admitted. "I'm just really dreading that phone call."

"We'll be right here, Bella," Esme promised, and Edward hugged me tightly for a moment in support.

Sighing again, I pulled out my phone and dialed Charlie's number at work.

It rang twice, and then he answered, "Chief Swan."

"Hey, Dad," I said.

Edward began rubbing his hand soothingly up and down my back, keeping me calm. I smiled gratefully at him.

"Bells!" Charlie said. "How's shopping going?"

I cringed. "Actually, that's kind of why I'm calling. Do you have a minute?"

I heard shuffling in the background, a quiet click—his door closing, I was guessing—and then the creak of his old leather chair as he sat back down.

"I do, Bells," he finally said. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"We got a phone call around one last night from the Port Angeles PD. Someone broke into my apartment around midnight. When—"

Charlie interrupted with, "Did they catch the jerk? Who was it? What did he take?"

"Slow down," I told him, trying to head him off before he got too worked up. "When the police showed up, they found him in the middle of uh..." I paused, unsure of how to explain it. "He'd used a knife he'd brought with him to cut up a lot of the clothes in my dresser, and he'd hacked up my mattress. He'd also gone through my dresser and was using a piece of my clothing to..."

Shit, this was hard!

"Put Edward on the phone, Bella," my father ordered softly, his voice eerily calm.

"Okay," I squeaked, holding the phone out for Edward to take. "He wants to talk to you."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

"Hello, Char—"

"That son of a bitch got caught with his pants down and my daughter's underwear in his hands, didn't he?" Charlie interrupted.

"Yes, sir," I said softly, tightening my arm around Bella.

I watched my mom scoot over slightly and take Bella's hand, smiling over at her.

"Fuck," Charlie growled, and I heard a loud noise in the background. I knew he'd hit the desk or something, much like I'd done when I saw the bedroom. "Who was he? Was it that bastard Powell?"

"No, sir, but the man who did it—his name is Laurent Moreau—was Powell's cell mate in prison until three months ago, when he was released. Moreau, I mean," I explained. "Powell is still locked up."

"I knew that bastard had to be involved somehow," Charlie ground out. "I should have killed the fucker when I had the chance years ago."

Before he could say anything more, I knew I needed to tell him the rest. "You'll probably be getting a call from a Detective Eli Jordan. From what the police have been able to ascertain so far, Moreau did an Internet search for your name when he couldn't find Bella, and the article about you last year with the...what was it? The Peter Joseph kidnapping case?"

Charlie cursed under his breath, but when he didn't say anything, I continued.

"So he made a trip to Forks and broke into your house. He saw Bella's address there, and that's when he made the trip up here and scared her in the store."

"Shit," he cursed again. "Edward, I..."

He paused, and I could hear him breathing heavily. I waited him out, knowing he wasn't finished.

"How's my daughter, Edward? Really."

"She's doing okay, Charlie," I promised. "She's an amazingly strong woman. My mom came with us to the station this morning and is staying with us until the rest of the family gets back from Seattle."

"Good, good," he said with a sigh. "Do I need to come up there?"

"I don't believe so," I told him. "But that's something you might wanna ask Bella herself. I don't wanna speak for her."

"All right. Put her back on the phone." He paused for a second and then added swiftly, "Edward, thank you, son, for being there for her."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, sir," I told him honestly. "Here's Bella."

My mom and I listened as Bella persuaded her father that she didn't need him to come up, that I was taking good care of her. She also argued for several minutes that it wasn't his fault.

"Dad, there was no sign of tampering on my door, either. He's good with lock picks. If he didn't disturb anything in the house, you couldn't have known."

She finally sighed, changing the subject to explain about our decision to move her into my apartment and rent out hers. From the lack of rising voices and long explanations and arguments, I knew Charlie wasn't putting up a fight.

"Yes, I'll call if I need you, Dad," Bella said into the phone, smiling patiently. There was a pause, and then she swallowed hard, and I watched her eyes tear up when she replied, "Love you, too. Bye."

She hung up the call and chuckled. "Well, at least he's not arguing about us moving in together."

My mom nodded and said, "He had to have known it was coming sooner or later, Bella. I've seen him in town a few times, and we've spoken about the two of you. He knows how serious you are."

We were all quiet for several minutes, and then I asked, "Is anyone hungry? It's about lunchtime. I could run and get some food and a few movies for us to watch until the rest of the family gets home, if you want."

"Mmm, Thai," Bella said, nodding. "Getting movies sounds good, too, if that's okay with Esme."

"Thai and movies sound perfect," my mother agreed, smiling at Bella. "We can talk more about what furniture should go where while Edward goes and gets it. Sound good?" she asked Bella.

"Perfect," Bella answered, smiling the first real, happy smile since before the phone call the night before.


	38. Chapter 38

**Edward's POV**

"Careful," Bella called up from a few steps below me.

We were carrying the six-foot Douglas Fir up the steps to our apartment. I'd started up first, moving backwards, and Bella was reminding me to be careful every other step. By the time we reached the top, I was more than ready to be done with this whole day, and we hadn't even really begun decorating for Christmas yet.

"Tell me again why we had to get a real tree when I have a perfectly good fake one in a box downstairs?" I huffed, pulling my keys out of my pocket and unlocking the door with one hand.

"We're in the middle of the Evergreen State, for crying out loud!" Bella laughed. "Besides, Rose and Alice are doing real trees. We couldn't be the only ones to do a fake one."

She smiled innocently when I looked over and rolled my eyes, chuckling at her. She'd certainly fit right in with my family and our competitiveness!

As we carried the tree inside—barely fitting through the doorway, thanks to the large, full tree Bella had insisted we buy—I thought back to the past two weeks.

The Friday Bella agreed to move in, almost two weeks ago exactly, we'd spent the afternoon with my mom, watching movies and just hanging out until the rest of my family had arrived—dinner in hand—that evening. My parents had stayed in town with Alice and Jasper, and the next day, everyone had come over and helped us switch the needed furniture and things.

My mom had worked on cleaning up the bedroom, while Bella, Rose, and Alice had worked at bringing over most of the kitchen stuff from her apartment to mine. It'd been kind of a madhouse, as my brothers and I moved furniture and the girls carried armloads of small appliances and dishes back and forth. My dad had stayed in the bedroom with my mom, patching the hole I'd made in the wall and helping dismantle the bed after Emmett had carried the ruined mattress out to Jasper's truck. After everything was moved, Jasper had run all the trash to the dump.

With all of us working, it had taken only a few hours to get everything moved, and by three that afternoon, Bella had been officially all moved in. We'd kept her sofa, bookshelf, kitchen table, and chairs, as well as her area rug, which she really loved. We'd also moved over her washer and dryer, since mine was a couple of years older. In my apartment, we'd kept my recliners, bed, dresser, and bedside tables. Everything else from my place had gone to hers for Sasha to use when she moved in.

Life was pretty calm for the two weeks after Bella moved in. She'd had a few nightmares off and on at first, but they hadn't been too bad the last week or so. Bella had only kept some of her clothes. The ones in the closet that Laurent hadn't touched had been okay. Most of the stuff in her drawers had been okay too, aside from all her underwear and what not. But my sister, in all her wisdom, had come back from Black Friday shopping with nine bags full of clothes, including three bags solely of intimates. Bella had been in tears, and I'd never been more grateful to have a sister who seemed to always know just what was needed without having to be told.

Sasha had agreed right away about moving into Bella's old apartment, happy that she would be paying less than her current place—and for a better layout and location. She would officially be moving in on January first, but Bella had already given her the key, and Sasha had begun moving her clothes over.

"Edward?" Bella asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I chuckled. "Sorry, was just thinking about the last couple of weeks."

"Good thoughts, I hope," she said as she helped me stand the tree up by the wall.

"Always, love," I promised. "Okay, you hold that upright while I make sure everything's ready."

I spent several minutes checking the plastic under the tree skirt and stand. That was really all I had to do, since we'd cut the tree fresh from the tree farm not an hour earlier. I'd even trimmed the lower branches there at the farm, so all we had to do now was put it in the stand, bolt it in, level it, and fill it with water.

"All right, Bella," I started. I moved her hands toward the top of the tree. "Hold it here while I grab the base. We'll carefully lift it just enough to clear the top of the stand. Let me guide it; you just hold it so I don't let it fall."

"'Kay," she said, smiling and grabbing a hold of the tree in two places near the top.

We slowly moved it the three feet to the hunter green stand and then carefully lowered it into place. Bella held it steady while I secured the bolts.

"Okay, now, let go slowly," I told her.

She let go, and I was very proud of the fact that the tree didn't even move an inch.

"I think it's tilted," Bella said, and I looked over to see her narrowed eyes as she moved around, looking at the tree from several different angles.

"Which way?" I asked, wondering which bolts I needed to loosen.

"Right," she answered immediately.

I laughed. I was facing her, so her right and my right were different. "Your right, or my right?" I asked.

"Oh! My right needs to go up." She chuckled. "Sorry."

I made some adjustments, and when Bella declared it perfect, I backed away slowly and moved to stand beside her. It was, indeed, straight and beautiful.

"Looks good," I agreed. "Why don't you fill the stand with water while I drag the boxes over and start getting the lights out?"

"Yup, will do," she said before walking out of the room toward the kitchen.

We each had a small box of special ornaments we'd collected over the years, and then we'd also gone to the store and gotten a bunch of new stuff before getting the tree. I dragged over the two boxes of personal ornaments and the three bags of stuff from the store. When Bella came in with the water pitcher, I already had one strand of small colored lights out of the box and had begun unwinding them from the bundle they were in.

"Lights first, right?" Bella asked, bending low to pour in the water.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered, standing up with the lights in my hand.

We spent the next ten minutes arranging the two light strands around and around the tree before plugging them into the wall. I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist and pulled her back a bit so we could take it all in and make sure the strands were placed correctly when it was lit up.

Deciding that they were just about perfect, we then sat down on the floor and began to go through the two boxes of personal ornaments together.

"What's this one?" I asked, holding up a little disc with a small hand print set in the stone and then painted pink.

Bella smiled and took it from me. Placing her fingers over the entire hand print, she explained, "I was two, and it was the last Christmas before my parents divorced. Mom spent hours trying to get the consistency right and then another hour trying to get me to cooperate. Apparently, the stuff felt so weird, I was afraid to put my hand on it long enough to get an impression."

I laughed, able to picture that in my head: my stubborn, beautiful Bella, a stubborn, beautiful two-year-old, refusing to touchy the "icky stuff."

She stood and added it to the tree, next to the little grand piano ornament my grandmother had sent me the Christmas before she died.

Also in the boxes were several roughly crocheted stockings, picture frames with little Bellas and Edwards, wreaths, and other Christmas-y items. There was also the requisite reindeer made from clothespins and pipe cleaners and various other ornaments that made both of us laugh.

There were a few beautiful glass ornaments with gold embellishments that Bella had gotten from her mother's things when she died. She ran her fingers lovingly over each one, telling me some stories and tearing up a few times.

By the time both boxes were almost completely empty, the tree was quite full. All that was left were some pretty strands of tinsel—the kind in ropes, not the individual strands like we'd used when I was a kid—and the tree topper. We added the ropes of gold tinsel, which matched Bella's glass ornaments perfectly, and then Bella pulled the last item from the box beside her.

"This was my grandmother's," she said softly, fingering the delicate ivory and gold fabric of the angel's gown.

The bottom layer was gold, with a white overcoat, white faux feathers, and words—Peace, Hope, Joy, and Noel—written in gold along the white part of the gown. There was also faux fur cuffs on the ends of her sleeves and along the bottom trim of the gown.

"My grandmother had brown hair, a lot like mine," Bella explained. "When my grandfather saw this angel not long after they got married, he thought it looked just like her. He bought it and gave it to her for their first Christmas as a married couple. When she knew she was dying from cancer, she gave it to my mother."

"It's beautiful, love," I told her honestly. "She does look a little like you, as well." The hair was almost the perfect shade, slightly wavy, and her eyes were the same chocolaty brown shade as my Bella's.

I pulled the step stool over by the tree. "You wanna do the honors?" I asked, motioning toward the top of the tree.

She took my hand before climbing the three short steps up and carefully placing the angel at the top of the tree.

When she was back on solid ground, she moved to flip the light switch, plunging the apartment into semi-darkness. I stepped over and plugged the end of the lights into the socket.

The Christmas tree lit up, bathing the room in a soft, colorful glow of red, green, blue, and yellow.

"It's perfect," she breathed, a peaceful smile gracing her beautiful face.

"Mmm," I hummed, but shook my head. "Not quite."

She looked at me with curiosity.

I turned and pulled a small, nondescript box from the shelf beside the TV. Keeping my back to her, I pulled out the ornament I'd gotten from the store the last time I'd gone by myself. I kept it hidden in my palm as I moved over to the tree, finding the perfect spot for it front and center before stepping back.

"Now," I murmured, reaching back for Bella's hand, "it's perfect."

She moved up beside me, and I heard a slight intake of breath as she saw what I'd hung on the tree.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

For a moment, I stood frozen, staring, unable to truly comprehend what I was seeing.

The ornament itself was pretty. A sterling silver open heart with the words "Our First Christmas" inscribed on one side in a pretty script. A small, heart-shaped charm dangled from the top inside it; the year "2010" right in the middle. The entire thing was hanging from the tree by a pretty red ribbon. Yes, the ornament was beautiful. But that wasn't what had made me gasp.

Hanging from the same red ribbon was a beautiful diamond ring.

I swallowed hard, trying to catch my breath, and slowly turned back to Edward...to find him down on one knee, still holding one of my hands.

"E-Edward?" I said, my voice cracking.

His face was partially in shadow, with the other half lit up like a, well, like a Christmas tree, but even through the tears suddenly gathering in my eyes, he looked so handsome, so sincere. So mine.

"Bella, love, I know it's only been a few months. We've been through a lot in that time," he murmured, closing his eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath and continuing, "but I wouldn't trade one moment of that time together. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were special. You were someone I had to meet. Had to get to know.

"A couple of months ago, when I made the trip to Forks to bring home my parents, I stopped in and saw Charlie." His lips curled up in a sweet, sexy half-smile. "I knew even back then that we had something special, something that I wanted to last. I've never been more certain of that than I am right now.

"Isabella Swan, I promise to love you forever—every day of forever. Will you marry me?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but all that would come out was a breathy squeak. When Edward raised an eyebrow in question, I decided to hell with words and threw myself into his arms.

Had it only been a few months since we'd met?

Yes.

Was I more than sure that Edward and I belonged together for the rest of forever?

Hell, yes.

"Yes," I mumbled into his neck, holding him tightly as the tears I'd been holding in check began streaming down my face. "Absolutely, Edward. I'd love nothing more than to be your wife."


	39. Chapter 39

**Bella's POV**

We'd come over to Forks earlier in the day and had spent the afternoon doing various things around town. Edward and I had gone to La Push to visit with Jacob, Seth, and the other guys from the rez that we knew. They'd heard about the break-in from Charlie and Sue shortly after it happened, so I hadn't had to tell them the story of what happened. We'd spent some time there, just hanging out and snacking on all the delicious things Emily, the wife of one of the leaders on the reservation, had made for all the people dropping by for a visit.

We'd just gotten back to the house when Edward insisted that he had something he wanted to show me.

"Come hiking with me. You'll love it, I swear."

"You want me to what?" I asked, slightly confused. He knew how much I disliked hiking in the forests around here. I'd gotten over most of my clumsiness, but out in the woods, there were no guarantees.

"Change into your hiking boots, which I packed in my bag, and bundle up," he answered with a smirk.

"Hiking? Really?" I shook my head, raising an eyebrow.

"I promise, love," he murmured, kissing me softly, "it'll be worth the hike."

~*~CIBD~*~

That was how, almost forty-five minutes later, I found myself in the middle of the forest, ankle deep in snow.

The trees were all covered in ice and snow, looking like they'd been sprayed with beautiful white paint. The snow covering the ground was pure and untouched, aside from the two trails of prints Edward and I had left coming into the clearing. It was so quiet—I couldn't even hear any birds or other animals—that it felt like we were the only ones left in the world.

"What is this place?" I asked softly. There was something about this scene that just called for me to whisper.

Edward chuckled quietly. "You might not believe it, but in the spring, this entire field is covered in flowers. Lots of blue and purple, green, and yellow," he described in an equally soft voice. Continuing, he explained, "I found this place years ago, and I've never seen anyone else here. It's always been my quiet place—somewhere I can come and just...be. The first time a girl broke up with me, I came out here and cried. When my grandfather died, I felt free to let it all out here. All my sadness and anger came out in screams that were heard by no one but myself. It's been my safe haven for almost ten years."

I took a deep, shuddering breath in and let it out slowly, thinking of the young boy who hid his tears and emotions, sharing them with only the trees and whatever animals dared to come close to the human intruding on their space.

"Why share it with me now?" I asked, looking around the large, snowy meadow.

He picked up my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing my engagement ring through my glove, before pulling me into his arms. "Because," he murmured against my cheek, his warm breath caressing my ear as he spoke, "you, my love, are now my safe haven. This place?" He shook his head slightly. "This place will always be special to me. I couldn't think of a better way to combine my past with my future."

My heart, which had been thudding hard, began racing as he skimmed his nose along my jaw, until he brushed his lips across mine in a soft, reverent kiss. There was no rushing, no expectations of this leading anywhere. There was only the gentle touches of our lips, our kisses saying the words our voices could not.

We'd been standing still so long that the cold finally began to seep through my coat and into my body, and I gave a hard shiver.

"Time to go," Edward breathed against my lips, rubbing his hands briskly up and down my back through my coat.

I nodded and kissed him once more before stepping away and offering him my hand.

"Thank you," I said as we made our way back out of the clearing, staying within our first set of foot prints so as not to disturb the smooth finish of the snow any more than we had to.

"For what, love?" he asked, pulling me closer to him and wrapping his arm around my waist as we walked.

"For showing me such a private, personal space," I answered, smiling up at him.

He smiled softly in return. "Thank you for letting me."

~*~CIBD~*~

We got back to the house and found the rest of the family home and dinner just about ready to be served. Edward and I quickly changed clothes and warmed up in front of the fire before sitting down to eat a casual dinner of chili with jalapeno cornbread.

"Where were you guys?" Emmett asked around a mouthful of food.

I smiled at Edward as he answered, "Just showing Bella the woods around the house."

"What were yo—" Emmett started to ask something else, but Esme interrupted him.

"What did everyone do this afternoon?" She winked as Edward flashed her a smile of thanks.

"Emmett and I went to look at a part for the car we're gonna be restoring," Rose answered.

"Yep, that was our Christmas present to each other this year. A 1969 Mustang," Emmett explained, grinning when Edward and Jasper whistled enviously.

"Speaking of Christmas presents," Alice said, looking pointedly at me and then down to my hand.

I gulped at having been found out. It wasn't that I hadn't wanted anyone to know. I just wasn't sure how his family would react, considering how quickly Edward and I were moving with our relationship.

"Is there something you wanna tell us?" she continued teasingly.

Edward looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

I shrugged, knowing the cat was out of the bag.

He turned back to his family and said with a grin, "I asked Bella to marry me, and she said yes."

He was smiling so hard that he was damn near beaming, and I thought he'd never looked more adorable than he did at that moment. So proud of himself and so happy that he was almost bursting with it.

The girls, including Esme, squealed and immediately leaned in to look at the ring. Carlisle reached over from beside Edward and patted him on the shoulder, congratulating him, and then Emmett and Jasper gave him a fist bump.

"Welcome to the family, sis," Emmett called loudly from across the table. "Not sure what you see in this kid, but congratulations all the same." He gave me a wink and a grin.

We received congratulations from everyone else, and then Alice said, "That ring is gorgeous, Edward! Where did you get it?"

It really was a beautiful ring. I didn't know much about diamonds, but this was fairly large, without being ostentatious, which was good, since too flashy just wasn't my style. There were two smaller diamonds on either side of the round center stone. It was set in white gold and had smooth, rounded edges, making it really feel good on my finger.

"I got it at a small, privately owned jewelry store in Seattle the last time I was there. Mom recommended it to me," Edward explained, smiling at his mother.

"Have you told Charlie?" Alice asked, looking over at me.

"Not yet," I answered, shrugging. "I figured we'd tell everyone tomorrow. Your eagle eye beat me to it."

The rest of dinner was spent chatting about everyday things and plans for the rest of the evening and the next day. Once dinner was finished, the girls and I hustled Esme and Carlisle out of the kitchen.

"You cooked, Mom," Alice insisted. "Take Dad and go relax. We've got this."

Esme smiled gratefully and let her husband guide her out of the room.

While Edward and his brothers washed and put away the few dishes we'd used, Alice directed Rose and me in putting the leftover food in containers and then into the fridge.

"I'm gonna get started making the hot chocolate for the movie," Alice said as she began pulling ingredients from the cabinets.

To a big plastic baggie, she added powdered sugar, cocoa, powdered milk, a little bit of salt, cornstarch, and a few pinches of cayenne pepper. She sealed the bag and then shook it several times to combine everything.

"There!" she said with a grin. "Now all we have to do is heat the milk."

Once the guys were finished with the dishes, Edward took my hand, and we followed the rest of them into the living room, where Carlisle and Esme were sitting together on the couch in front of the fire. There was a group of Christmas gift bags sitting on the table in front of them.

"Oh goodie!" Alice said, clapping her hands. "Presents!"

Esme laughed and nodded. "One for each couple. Would someone hand them out, please?"

We all settled around the couch and table on the floor, and then Jasper, who was closest, picked up the first bag. "Rose and Emmett," he said, reading the names off the attached tag. He handed Rose the bag before picking up the second.

Once each couple was holding their gift bag, Esme said, "Well, go ahead. Open them."

Edward held the bag while I began moving pretty red tissue paper so I could get at the two packages inside. I pulled them out, checked the tags, and handed one to Edward, keeping the smaller of the two for myself.

Esme and Carlisle had given everyone Christmas pajamas. Looking around, I could see that we'd all gotten the same red and green plaid pajama bottoms, but as everyone held up their T-shirts, I noticed that they were all different.

I couldn't help but giggle at mine. The joke about three wise women instead of three wise men wasn't new, but I loved it, and I'd never had it on a T-shirt before. Edward's was really cute, too. A reindeer, looking up at another reindeer's head, which had been mounted on the wall, asking, "Dasher? Is that you?"

"You know me so well," Rose said, unrolling her own set, which said all she wanted for Christmas was parts for her rat rod.

"Really, Mom?" Edward groaned, looking over at Emmett, who was holding his up with glee all over his face. "You know he's gonna be saying that for weeks now..."

Emmett grinned. "C'mon, Edward. Don't get your tinsel in a tangle!"

Edward sighed, shaking his head, but he shot me a wink, making me snicker.

"Shoes!" Alice cried, holding up her own long-sleeved white t-shirt, which had a Christmas tree made out of shoes.

I had to laugh at her enthusiasm, as she held the shirt up to her chest and smiled down at the image.

"What about yours?" I asked Jasper.

"Global warming's a terrible, terrible thing," he said, his tone serious. When we all looked askance at him, he cracked a grin and turned his shirt around, showing us a melting Frosty the snowman.

We all laughed and turned to Carlisle and Esme when Edward spoke.

"Show us yours," Edward said to his parents.

Carlisle chuckled and held the bag out to Esme.

"Why wrap your own?" Emmett asked, shrugging. "Makes no sense."

"Because it's part of the fun," Esme answered primly. "Got a problem with that?" Then, to the amusement of everyone in the room, she stuck her tongue out like a five-year-old and grinned at him.

When everyone had calmed down again, she pulled out the shirts for herself and Carlisle, holding hers up so we could all see. Their set was also long-sleeved, but black instead of white, like most of them. Esme's had a silhouette image of the little boy from her favorite movie and a gun, with the phrase "You'll shoot your eye out" written on the front. She beamed with pride as she handed Carlisle's to him.

Edward, Alice, and Emmett gagged when Carlisle's Santa Claus asked "Who's Your Santa?" and Esme actually giggled. Rose, Jasper, and I smirked at their reactions to their parents, who I thought were absolutely adorable.

Once Carlisle had set his shirt down, everyone cheered when he pulled two DVD cases out from beside him on the couch. Apparently, everyone else enjoyed _A Christmas Story_ and _It's a Wonderful Life_ as much Esme and I did.

"Everyone go get changed and meet back here in half an hour for movie night," Esme said above the din of chatter from the rest of her family and me.

"C'mon, love," Edward said, pulling me up from my seat beside the couch.

~*~CIBD~*~

Twenty minutes later, everyone was back in the living room, all dressed in our new pajama sets. Each couple had brought a blanket, and Edward and I had brought a few pillows, as well. Carlisle and Esme were back on the couch, in their previous seats. Rose sat beside Esme, curling up with the blanket over her lap, and Emmett sat on the floor in front of her, leaning back between her legs. Jasper sat down in one of the chairs to the side of the couch and pulled Alice down onto his lap. She spread a dark purple fuzzy blanket across her lap, covering both their legs.

Edward looked over at me. "Chair or floor?" he asked, holding up the pillows he was carrying.

"Floor," I answered, grinning.

He spread the thicker of our two blankets out in front of the coffee table and then moved the pillows into place before motioning me down in front of him. He was on his side, leaning back against the front of the table, with his head propped up in his hand and his other arm curled around my waist, holding me to him. My head was on a pillow near his elbow, and our legs were tangled together under the blanket I'd spread over us before lying down.

"Everyone ready?" Carlisle asked, chuckling when we all echoed Emmett's cry in the affirmative. He hit a button on one remote, and the lights in the room dimmed to almost nothing. With the click of another button on the DVD player remote, the movie began to play.

As the big bell started chiming, signaling the beginning of _It's a Wonderful Life_, we all settled in to watch the classic black-and-white film. Edward's hand was keeping me snug against him, and with the blanket and the fire crackling in the fireplace, I was toasty warm and comfortable, and I knew there was nowhere else I'd rather be than there with him at that perfect moment.


	40. Chapter 40

**Edward's POV**

As soon as my alarm beeped, I grabbed my phone and turned it off. Bella didn't need to be up for another hour, and since we'd been up so late the night before, I wanted to let her sleep as long as possible. She barely stirred as I got out of bed and moved to the suitcase on the floor across the room.

I pulled on some heavy socks, my jeans, and long-sleeved Henley, throwing an unbuttoned flannel shirt over it before grabbing my wallet, phone, and keys on my way out of the bedroom. I also took my new pajama bottoms with me so I could change out of my jeans downstairs once we came back inside. If I came back upstairs to change, I would wake Bella, I was sure. I met Jasper and Emmett on the stairs, both yawning and looking as tired as I felt.

"Whose bright idea was it to get up early?" Emmett grumbled as we quietly traipsed down the stairs.

"Yours," Jasper sighed, rolling his eyes at me. "We tried to tell you we should've set up everything last night, but you said this morning would be better."

"Oh yeah," Emmett said with a smirk, nodding. "That's right, 'cause I was anxious to get Rosie upstairs and—"

"Emmett, man, enough," I groaned. "Neither of us wants to hear about your sex life again."

"What?" He shrugged, smiling innocently. "I was just gonna say go to bed."

Jasper and I chuckled and shook our heads.

"Anyway, you have Mom and Dad's gifts in the back of your Jeep, right?" I asked as we pulled on our coats.

"Yeah, still in the boxes," Emmett answered, opening the door and then closing it behind us.

It took us nearly an hour, but we finally had the old furniture stored in the garage and the new stuff all assembled and set up on the deck out back, like we thought Mom and Dad would like it. As a group, we'd gone in together—all six of us—and gotten them new patio furniture and a new fire pit. Their old furniture had needed replaced for a while, but they'd put it off while they were overseas. Alice had mentioned that Dad had eyed a fire pit while they were shopping on Black Friday.

The four-piece furniture set included two oversized club chairs, one loveseat, and one coffee table, in an all-weather design and dark bronze wicker. The white cushions were also weather-proof and looked great against the contrasting wicker. We hadn't picked up any throw pillows, figuring Mom would want to choose those herself. The fire pit was three feet tall and made of solid copper and wrought iron. We'd even thought to bring wood to fill it with so they would have something to use immediately if they wanted.

"God, it's cold out here," Jasper griped, rubbing his gloved hands together.

I laughed. "Well, it's the end of December at—" I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked the time "—nearly seven in the morning. What'd you expect?"

Chuckling, Jasper nodded. "I suppose it makes sense. We done out here?"

Looking around, Emmett said, "I think so. Let's go warm up. I need coffee."

"Definitely," I agreed. "Everyone else should be up soon, too."

We left our boots on the deck beside the door and traipsed inside in our sock feet.

"I'm gonna change," Emmett said. "Be right back."

"Me, too," Jasper echoed, hurrying up the stairs after my brother.

I hung my coat up in the hall and then grabbed my sleep pants, making use of the downstairs bathroom to shuck my jeans and flannel shirt, leaving on my Henley and socks. After getting changed, I headed to the kitchen. I'd just started adding coffee to the machine when Emmett and Jasper walked back in.

"Alice was sitting up in bed when I got in there," Jasper said, grinning. "She looked like she was sleeping with her eyes open."

Emmett laughed. "Rose, too. And I think I heard the parental units moving around."

"Good. Get out the eggs and bacon," I instructed them, "and I'll start cooking."

Ten minutes later, the rest of my family stumbled into the dining room, bleary eyed and yawning. I put a serving tray on the counter, set eight mugs on it, and filled each mug with coffee. After adding the sugar bowl and a container of half and half on the tray, I motioned to the food.

"You guys grab all that while I take this out to the table."

They made noises of agreement, so I carefully picked up the tray and made my way through the doorway of the kitchen.

"Good morning," I murmured, seeing glares before the smiles when they noticed the coffee.

"Oh, God, thank you," my Bella breathed, reaching for the mug I'd picked up for her.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I chuckled. "Good morning, love."

"Morning," she mumbled, curling her fingers around the warmth of the mug.

I passed out the rest of the coffee, setting mugs in front of Emmett's and Jasper's chairs before sitting down in the seat beside Bella.

"Gooooooood morning, family!" Emmett's loud voice boomed.

Jasper hissed quietly, "Damn, man, you're gonna get yourself shot!"

"It's not too late to take back Christmas presents," my tired, grumpy mother grumbled from across the table, barely glancing up to glare at Emmett.

I didn't think I'd ever seen Emmett become quiet as fast as he did after that. He kept his mouth shut as he set down onto the table a bowl of breakfast fruit salad and a basket filled with warm, sliced banana bread. He and Jasper had cut up the cantaloupe, apples, strawberries, and bananas and tossed them with grapes, some yogurt, and orange juice concentrate for the fruit salad.

Jasper set down a large platter of scrambled eggs and a plate stacked with bacon before sliding into the seat next to Alice.

The table was quiet—_very_ quiet—as everyone dug into the food and drank their coffee. It looked like the remains of a slumber party gone wrong. Everyone was exhausted and not happy to be awake this early after being up until long after midnight.

Finally, when almost half the food was gone and everyone was sipping their second cups of coffee, the zombies were showing signs of life.

"Thank you for breakfast, boys," my mom said, flashing a smile around the table at us.

"Did you like the fruit salad?" Emmett asked, grinning proudly. "I made that."

She laughed. "It was perfect, Emmett, thank you."

Alice was nearly vibrating in her seat next to Bella. "Is everyone finished?"

Rose looked around the table and then said, "C'mon, Alice. Bella, you, too. Let's do the dishes and let the guys get settled in the living room since they cooked."

Bella nodded and leaned into me, kissing me softly. "Merry Christmas," she murmured.

I smiled and kissed her again. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

"Mom, Dad, you go relax," Alice said. "We'll bring more coffee in when we come."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

As soon as the food—what little there was left over—had been put away, I washed the dishes, Rose dried, and Alice put them in the cabinet. It took us all of about fifteen minutes, since there hadn't really been much to do.

"Bella, can you get the carafe down for the coffee?" Alice asked, reaching for the coffee pot, which was on its third full pot of the morning. "It's in that cabinet right there." She pointed at a door near where I was standing.

Everyone else had taken their mugs in with them to the living room, and ours were sitting around the kitchen.

Rose refilled the half and half container, adding it and the sugar bowl to the tray again. As soon as I set the carafe down, Alice carefully poured the coffee in before moving it to the tray, as well.

"I'll get this," Rose said. "Can someone grab my cup please?"

I nodded and carried Rose's coffee and my own into the living room, following behind Alice, who'd already taken hers ahead.

"Who needs coffee?" Rose asked, carefully setting the tray down on the table by the couch.

Immediately, five mugs shot out toward her, making us all laugh. She refilled them all and then took her seat next to Emmett on the floor near the Christmas tree. He was apparently going to play Santa—and was quite happy doing so, by the look on his face.

"This is his favorite part," Edward murmured softly in my ear as I sat down near him on the floor by the couch.

I chuckled and nodded, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Everyone ready?" Emmett called gleefully, rubbing his hands together.

"See that stack there?" Esme said to Emmett, pointing to six gifts that looked exactly the same next to the tree. "Those first. One to each of you."

Emmett began passing them around, until each of the "kids" was holding one.

We waited patiently until Esme finally laughed and said, "Go on, then. Open them up. You know you want to!"

I was just as excited as the others as I tore into the pretty silver wrapping. When I got to the box, I gasped. I'd been thinking about getting one of the first iPads, but Carlisle and Esme had gotten me the latest generation, with both WiFi and 3G, which had just come out recently. I ran my fingers lightly over the picture on the cover, tracing the outline, before realizing everyone else was quiet, too. I looked up and nearly laughed at the sight before me.

Esme and Carlisle had given each of us the same gift, and everyone was in various stages of opening the box. Emmett already had his open and was trying to figure out how to turn it on. Jasper and Edward both had theirs open, as well, but they were both reading through the instructions that came in the box. Rose and Alice were moving much more slowly, like I was.

Edward looked over at me and smiled. "Go ahead, love," he said quietly. "You can open it."

"This is too much," I murmured softly, shaking my head.

Apparently, Carlisle and Esme overheard, because he said, "Nonsense, Bella."

I turned to him and felt a blush heat my cheeks.

"You're family now, sweetheart," Esme agreed. "We wanted to give _all_ our kids one of these, since I know none of you had them."

I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat, feeling like I would burst from all the emotion I was feeling. "Thank you," I told them both. "It's great. I've wanted one for a while, and I just hadn't decided if I should buy one or not."

Esme smiled. "Well, I'm glad you waited, then! I remembered you'd mentioned it at Thanksgiving, and that's what gave me the idea."

We were quiet for several minutes while everyone played with their new toys, until finally, Edward set his aside and said, "Okay, lots more stuff, so let's play later."

Emmett and Jasper both groaned, but reluctantly set them aside.

"Okay, I'll pass out gifts to everyone, and then we can open them," Emmett said, reaching under the tree to get the next stack of gifts. He passed them out, making sure both his parents had one first.

I got a small gift from Edward, and from the feel of it, I could tell it was a CD of some sort.

He then handed Edward the gift from me. "Nothing for you guys?" Emmett asked Alice and Jasper.

The two of them looked at each other and shrugged.

"Mine for Jazzy will be here later," Alice said.

"Same here, darlin'," Jasper said, pulling her closer to him.

Emmett shrugged. "Okay, then, looks like that's it. Eddie goes first."

"Don't call me Eddie," Edward grumbled, but he cracked a smile when everyone, including me, laughed.

Edward tore into the wrapping with gusto, tossing it to the floor before turning the record over in his hands.

"What is it?" Alice asked, trying to look over Jasper's shoulder.

"A Phineas Newborn album," Edward said, turning it over and over.

"Who?" his siblings all echoed.

I looked at Carlisle and Esme, who nodded, obviously recognizing the name of the musician.

"He was a great jazz pianist in the fifties," Edward explained. "I have another of his albums; it's quite enjoyable to listen to." He smiled down at me. "Thanks, baby."

I grinned. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

"Who's next?" Emmett asked, sounding slightly impatient. Obviously, he had no interest in Edward's new record.

"Bella," Rose said, smiling at me and then winking at Edward, who grinned back at her.

Chuckling, I carefully opened the neatly wrapped gift—not wanting a paper cut to ruin the fun—and realized I'd been right. On the cover, in Edward's beautiful script, were the words:

_Bella's Lullaby  
All my love, Edward  
Christmas 2010_

I felt tears well up in my eyes and didn't realize I was biting my lower lip until Edward reached over and pulled it out from between my teeth with his thumb.

"You all right, love?" he asked softly.

I nodded. "Play it?" I held the CD out to him.

He smiled brilliantly and took the case from me, kissing me softly before standing and making his way to the stereo across the room.

Once he'd pressed play, he came back and took my hand, pulling me up and into his arms.

Laughing, I said, "What are you doing?"

"Dance with me," he murmured as the beautiful sounds of his piano began sounding over the speakers.

I looked around at the rest of the family, but Edward quickly pulled my attention back to him, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me close.

We swayed together as the music wove around us, creating an almost magical spell, making us feel like we were the only ones in the room.

"I started writing this just after I saw you for the first time," Edward murmured into my ear. "I hadn't written anything real in a while, and that day, I sat down and started playing."

I trembled slightly in his arms, captivated by the music, his words, and his piercing green eyes staring down into mine.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, tangling my fingers in the hair at the base of his neck.

We danced until the music trailed off with a long, sweet note.

"That was beautiful," Esme sighed happily.

"So sweet!" Alice chimed in.

"Why don't you do anything sweet like that for me?" Rose asked, and I knew without looking that she was pouting at Emmett.

"Babe," he responded, sounding exasperated, "you know I don't play the piano!"

I sputtered a laugh, burying my face in Edward's neck at he shook with his own silent laughter.

"Yes, well, it was still romantic," she grumbled.

"You mean, like this?" Emmett asked quietly, drawing my attention as Edward led me back to our seats.

I watched as he pulled his hand out of his pocket, a pendant hanging from a silver chain.

Rose gasped and put one hand up to her mouth while reaching to the necklace with the other.

"It's beautiful," she whispered. "Put it on me?" She looked over at him and smiled tenderly.

Emmett nodded, and when Rose turned and lifted her hair, he slid the chain around her neck and fastened it behind her.

"Show us!" Alice said excitedly. There was no doubt about it: Alice loved jewelry, even on other people.

Rose sat still and let us all get a good look. The double teardrop design in silver cradled a good-sized round diamond. It was simple, but stunning—absolutely perfect for Rosalie, and Alice and I both told her so as she snuggled back against Emmett.

"Okay, now, Mom and Dad," Alice said cheerfully, pulling us back to reality.

Carlisle motioned for Esme to go ahead, and she opened the envelope she'd been holding and pulled out a card.

She was quiet as she read to herself, until everyone began calling for her to read it aloud.

"To my darling Esme," she began, pausing to smile over at Carlisle. "I know we talked about needing to update our family portrait, especially since our family has grown by one since we last had one taken. Therefore, in February, Sophie Cole will come here to take an updated set of family photos. In addition, you, Alice, Rose, and Bella will all spend the morning of the photo session at the spa. Any service they offer is yours." She cleared her throat then and looked up. "The rest is for me," she teased, winking at us before looking over at Carlisle again and smiling.

He leaned in and kissed her softly, and I looked away, wanting to give them some semblance of privacy. Alice and Rose chatted softly about what they wanted to get done at the spa, until finally, Emmett and Edward cleared their throats, making their parents break apart with huge grins.

"Now yours, Dad," Alice said, motioning toward the big gift leaning against his leg.

Carlisle pulled the gift onto his lap and quickly tore off the wrapping. "Oh! This is great," he said, looking over at his wife.

"You remember who took that, right?" she asked, laughing.

He nodded. "Sophie Cole."

"What is it?" Edward asked. It was obviously a photo, but none of us could see what it was a photo of.

Carlisle turned the frame around, and it showed him in doctor's scrubs, surrounded by a group of seven children—malnourished and dirty, in scraps and rags for clothes, but smiling and having a good time. It was obvious that the picture had been taken while they were in Haiti.

"For your office at work," Esme said, smiling. Turning back to us, she said, "The woman who's coming here to take our family photo is the one who took this. She's a freelance photographer who was in Haiti taking photos of some of the children and families. She took this one day when your father had taken a much-needed break from the clinic and gone outside to play soccer with some of the kids who'd gathered."

Carlisle took over the story then, telling us the children's names as best he could remember. He told us about the joy the children could express, even in the worst of circumstances. In the middle of a story about one of the little boys—about four years old—offering to share his meal, even though he'd clearly needed it more than Carlisle did, the doorbell rang.

"Oh!" I said, laughing. I'd forgotten my dad and Sue were stopping by to exchange gifts.

Edward stood and pulled me up, and together, we walked to the front door to let them in.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by the two of them, each cradling an adorable little puppy in their arms.

"What in the world?" I gasped softly.

"Merry Christmas, Bells," Charlie said. "Edward." He smiled and looked at the bundle in his arms. "Let us in so these little guys don't get too cold out here."

"Are those yours?" I asked, still really confused.

Sue shook her head. "Unbeknownst to the other, both Alice and Jasper asked us to watch their gift for their spouse yesterday."

I snorted into a quiet laughter, thinking it was just too funny they'd both gotten each other a puppy.

"Come in, please," Edward said, sounding as amused as I felt. They came in and handed the puppies to us while they took off their shoes.

"How are we gonna do this?" Charlie asked, looking at the puppy in Edward's arms.

"I've got an idea," Edward answered. "Here, take this little guy back." He handed the puppy back to Charlie.

Walking back to the doorway of the living room, he said, "Alice, Jasper, close your eyes. No peeking, or your gifts are going back."

They must've closed their eyes, because Edward motioned us toward him, his finger at his lips, signaling the rest of the family to stay quiet.

He took the puppy back from my dad and whispered to me, "Put yours in front of Alice on the floor the same time I put this one in front of Jasper. I know from Jasper's description that the little black and tan mixed breed one is from him to Alice. That means this little gray one must be for him from Alice."

I nodded, grinning, and moved carefully up to Alice. I watched him, and together, we bent down and put the puppies on the floor.

"Okay," Edward said, "open your your eyes."

"Oh my God!" Alice's high, excited voice startled both puppies, and the one in front of Jasper started shaking, while Alice's little one started a ferocious bark. Of course, at eight weeks old, it really wasn't very ferocious, but it was adorable and immediately quieted Alice down.

"You're so cute," she said quietly, gently scooping the puppy into her arms. She stroked the puppy's head and whispered to Jasper, "Is it a girl or boy?"

"She's a girl," he said, letting his puppy sniff his hand. "Mine? It's a Texas Blue Lacy, right?"

"A girl, too," Alice answered, nodding and reaching over to pet the puppy that was now resting in Jasper's lap. "What do you think about Coco for mine?" Alice lifted the puppy up and buried her nose in the fur, letting the puppy lick her hand.

"Because of her color?" Emmett asked, making silly faces at the puppy in Jasper's arms. "I guess she kinda looks like chocolate."

I couldn't help but laugh out loud when Alice replied, "No, silly. Because of Coco Chanel!"

Jasper simply nodded, looking down at his new little one, and suggested, "What about Diamond?"

Alice grinned. "Hello, Diamond." Looking up at Charlie and Sue, she asked, "Were they any trouble last night? If I'd had any idea you were gonna have two of them, I'd have tried to figure something else out."

Sue shook her head. "No, they weren't any trouble. They were both very good, although we did end up with them in the bed."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "I ended up right on the edge with no blanket all night."

Alice handed Coco to Jasper and jumped up, moving over to Charlie, who was sitting between me and Sue on the couch. Carlisle and Esme had quickly given up their spots when their new guests had arrived.

"Thank you, Chief," Alice said sincerely, surprising Charlie when she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. "We really appreciate it."

He awkwardly patted her back, and said, "No problem, kiddo. It wasn't so bad."

Thirty minutes later, Edward's family bundled up to take the new puppies out to the backyard. Alice had made the excuse of the puppies "needing to potty," but really, it had been a way to give Edward and me a few minutes with Charlie and Sue to exchange gifts and to surprise Carlisle and Esme with their Christmas gift from all of us.

"Well," Charlie said as soon as the door closed behind Jasper, "Alice certainly was excited, wasn't she?"

We all laughed, but my ears were still ringing from her squeals.

"Edward, can you get the gift for my dad and Sue from under the tree, please?" I asked, completely forgetting until that moment that we'd gotten something for them, too.

Edward, who'd been sitting in one of the chairs beside the couch, moved over to the tree to grab the wrapped gift and handed it to my dad before sitting back in his seat.

Charlie handed me an envelope before giving the present from us to Sue to open.

"Wow, Charlie!" Sue gasped. "You'll love this!"

She pulled out two Seattle Mariners T-shirts and baseball caps, showing Charlie, before handing him the envelope inside the box. Charlie pulled out the papers with all the information they would need to claim their half-season tickets for the Mariners.

Both of his eyebrows raised, giving him a very un-Charlie-like expression. "Wow, Bells, Edward, I don't know what to say!"

"They're for the View Box, Dad," I explained. "I think they're pretty good seats."

Charlie nodded. "Thanks, Bells," he said, patting my shoulder with a big grin on his face. "You know how much Sue and I like going to see our team play!"

I laughed. "Yes, we know."

"Now open yours," he said, pointing to the envelope I was holding. "Seth actually gave us the idea, so, uh, I hope you like it."

I opened the envelope to see two VIP Supertickets to the next Sasquatch! Music Festival, which was held in a town about halfway between Seattle and Spokane.

"Woah! Seriously?" I knew my jaw had dropped, but I couldn't seem to close my mouth. Handing them to Edward, I gave my dad a hug. Those tickets were very expensive, and I knew he and Sue had to have saved a while to buy them. "Thank you, Dad," I said into his neck before releasing him and turning to Sue. She was surprised when I hugged her, as well, but I knew she'd played a big part in buying the tickets for us. "Thank you, too, Sue. We love them!"

Edward was quiet, eyes moving over and over the tickets, before he broke out into a huge grin. "Thank you, Chief Swan. Sue."

When he reached out to shake Charlie's hand, my dad said, "Remember, Edward? Call me Charlie." Giving me a pointed look, he said, "Especially since you seem to be engaged to my daughter."

"Oh!" In all the excitement of the puppies and gifts, I'd completely forgotten to tell him about Edward proposing.

"Edward asked me to marry him, and I said yes, obviously!" I told them with a laugh, holding my hand out for my dad and Sue to see the ring.

"It's beautiful, Edward," Sue said. "Congratulations, you two."

"Thanks." I smiled at her and said, "We're both very happy about it."

"Congratulations, Bells. You've got a good guy there. As long as you're happy, I'm happy," Charlie said quietly, nodding once.

"Thanks, Daddy," I said, my eyes misting over. My dad didn't show emotion very often, so that praise for Edward meant a lot.

Sue and I talked wedding while Charlie and Edward talked about the baseball games scheduled, until Edward's family came in from the backyard.

"Charlie, Sue," Esme started, "would you all like to stay for a quick lunch? Bella mentioned you were having dinner with your kids, Sue, or I'd ask you to stay for dinner with us later."

"Oh!" Charlie looked up at the clock. "Thanks for the invite, Esme, but we'd better go. We're doing an early dinner with Seth, Leah, her husband, Jacob, Billy, and a few others from the reservation, because I need to go in to work early to cover for one of the guys who has a family dinner tonight."

"Ah. Well, you'll have to come back and have dinner with us sometime so you can see the new patio furniture the kids got us for Christmas. There's even a fire pit outside that makes you feel nice and warm!" She smiled at Edward and me before continuing. "I'm sorry you have to go, but Merry Christmas, and thank you both for bringing over the puppies." She chuckled, watching Alice and Jasper cuddle the dogs on the floor by the fire. "They aren't a big hit at all."

After saying our goodbyes—I got hugs from both of them, while Edward exchanged handshakes with Charlie and a nod and smile with Sue—we shut the door behind them and made our way back to the living room to join the family for the rest of what was turning out to be the best Christmas I'd ever had.


	41. Chapter 41

**Edward's POV**

"Oh, come on," Emmett whined as I stubbornly refused the shot he was holding out for me.

"Dude, I had a shot of patron when we got here," I reminded him. "I'm the DD, remember?"

Emmett had clearly had the most to drink tonight, although the rest of my family wasn't far behind. This was the fourth time I'd had to turn down a shot of something, but no matter the amount of bitching he did, I wasn't going to drink any more. I'd stopped after my last beer an hour ago, giving my body time to absorb any leftover alcohol before I had to drive.

He gave a disgusted huff before downing the shot, grabbing Rose's hand, and leading her back to the throng of bodies in the middle of the room moving to the beat.

When Bella dropped down into my lap with a giggle, I forced back a grin. She wasn't nearly as drunk as Emmett—not like the last time we'd been out to the club, where she'd basically passed out the minute we got home—but she was more than her fair share of tipsy.

"Edward," Bella said in an exaggerated whisper. "I'm ready t'go home. Can we go home now?"

"Bella, love," I murmured against her neck, "it's not even midnight yet. We have to wait to ring in the new year."

Grinding against my lap, she replied, "But I'm ready now..."

Before I could think to stop her, she'd grabbed my hand and placed it between her thighs, so my hand was cupping her intimately. I could feel the dampness of her panties. Obviously, all the alcohol and the dancing we'd been doing had gotten her aroused.

"See?" She nipped at my earlobe before speaking again in a breathy voice, "I want you now, baby."

My dick hardened under her, and when she whimpered and swiveled her hips again, I nearly groaned aloud. I had to distract her, or I'd be tempted to say fuck midnight and just take her home then. The only thing stopping me were the four more-than-tipsy people I was responsible for tonight, who were all out on the dance floor.

"Come on, love," I said with an almost-resigned sigh. "Let's dance."

~*~CIBD~*~

We only stayed an hour longer, leaving shortly after midnight. Bella was pleasantly buzzed, but still walking under her own steam. I couldn't say the same for my sister, though. When we dropped her and Jasper off at their place, she made it about four steps before Jasper had scooped her into his arms. He was far from sober, but somehow, they made it up to their door unscathed. Emmett and Rose leaned on each other all the way from the Jeep to their door, but they were stable enough to turn and wave before going inside. We waved back, and Bella yelled out a final wish for a happy new year, and then we got into my car, which we'd left there so we could all cram into the Jeep, and drove home.

"Oh look!" Bella said, giggling. "This is our stop, driver!" She reached up and pretended to pull a signal cord, like we were riding on a city bus. It was silly, but it was funny, too.

I was nice and relaxed, but definitely more sober than the rest of the group had been. Two beers and one shot over the course of the four hours we'd been out had been my limit.

Once I'd put the car in park and turned off the ignition, I sprinted around to Bella's side of the car, where she was fumbling with the door latch.

"I can't get out," she said, a pout to her pretty lips.

Chuckling under my breath, I reached across and unbuckled her seat belt. Holding out my hand, I helped her out of the car, catching her as she stumbled slightly on the heels my sister had put her in earlier in the evening.

"Come with me," I said, pulling my keys out of my pocket. I led the way over to the door of my shop, rather than going straight up the stairs between the buildings.

"Why are we going in here?" Bella asked, snuggling against my side.

As I unlocked the door, I explained, "I left my phone here earlier. I wanna grab it in case anyone tries to reach me before I come downstairs tomorrow." I nuzzled her neck. "Plus, since Sasha's opening for me so I can sleep in, I don't have to be down until my first lesson at just after noon. I wanna take the schedule up with me so I can look over my lesson plans for tomorrow afternoon."

"Smart," Bella reasoned, nodding, which caused her to slightly sway on her feet.

It was cute and amusing how hard she was trying to be serious.

"Let's go in, sweetheart," I told her, pulling her in through the open door.

Bella followed me through the dark shop, her hand on the back of my shirt, as soon as I'd locked the door behind us. When we arrived behind the counter, I immediately started looking through the papers I'd left out.

"Mmm, baby," Bella breathed, wrapping her arms around me from behind. "I want you."

Oh yeah, my girl was tipsy, no doubt about it.

I smirked and continued looking through the papers, but my concentration broke when Bella's hands moved from my chest to the button of my jeans. When she pulled down the zipper and slid her hand inside, a groan broke from my lips, and I braced my hands on the counter in front of me.

"Bella," I hissed when her small fingers came in contact with my suddenly, achingly hard cock.

When she pulled my dick out of my pants, I came into my senses enough to stop her. Putting one hand over hers, I ground out, "Not here, Bella. Wait till we get upstairs." I looked over at the plate-glass window of the store, out into the darkness beyond. "Anyone could see."

Her fingers squeezed gently, pulling another groan from my throat.

"'S dark," she murmured, running her thumb over the head of my cock. "The counter hides most of it anyway." I felt her press a kiss to my back before she continued, "Please, baby, I need to taste you."

After one last glance to the window, I realized she was right—and fuck if I didn't want to feel her hands and lips on me right then. I took a deep breath, pulled her hand up to my lips, and gave it a kiss before turning in her arms and pulling her to me.

My hands went to her head: one cupped the back of her neck, while the other tangled in her hair, tilting her head up so I could capture her lips with mine. It started as a simple brush of lips against lips, just barely something that could be qualified as a kiss. When Bella whimpered and moved her hands to my chest, fisting my shirt in her now-clenched fingers, I groaned against her lips, pressing my own to hers again.

This time, the kiss was one born of arousal, of near desperation—for her touch, her taste...everything about my body was screaming for Bella's. It was all lips, tongues, and teeth, more of an erotic claiming than anything sweet or romantic.

When we broke apart, gasping for breath, Bella dropped to her knees in front of me. Her fingers were wrapped around my cock and her tongue was on the head before I could even blink.

I groaned again and slid my fingers into her hair, moving with her as she lowered her head until her lips met her hand on my cock. I followed the motion of her head with my hands as she began sucking me off, using her tongue to swirl around the tip, dipping into the slit, all the while moving her tight fist up and down my length.

Bella was so damn good, it was nearly over way too fast for my liking. I could feel my balls tightening and knew I had to get her to back off before she milked my cum right out of me.

I moved my hands to her arms and gently pulled her up and off my cock, much to her obvious displeasure.

"Edward!" she complained, her little pink tongue coming out and swiping over her lips, plump from our kisses and her actions on my dick. The moonlight streaming in through the window gave off just enough light for me to see her with, and I groaned when her movements sent dirty, lusty thoughts straight to my cock.

"I wanna be inside you when I come, Bella," I nearly growled.

When I turned, the piano caught my eye, and before I had a second thought, I knew what I wanted. I swept her into my arms, earning a shocked gasp, and from the way Bella was trying to squeeze her thighs together, I knew she was aroused. I could almost taste her arousal on my tongue and knew I had to get my mouth on her before I went crazy.

"Edward?" Bella asked when I laid her down on the piano. It made a discordant sound as her heels hit the black and white keys, and she began struggling to sit up.

"Lie back, love," I commanded softly, suddenly pulling her until her bottom rested at the edge of the piano. I took off her shoes and set them aside before slowly running my hands up her legs, from her ankles to her thighs.

Looking at her, spread out on my piano, her dress riding up around her waist, had my cock hard as steel. If I waited any longer, I was afraid that I'd explode. I reached out, and with a sharp tug, her barely there thong was in tatters at our feet.

Skimming my nose along her inner thigh, I breathed deep, letting her delicious scent wash through me, making me ache for her.

"God, you smell good," I murmured, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her skin, swirling my tongue around and leaving damp spots in a trail from her knee to the crease of her leg and hip.

I kissed my way across her pussy, and when I got to her other thigh, I sucked in hard, knowing I was leaving what would be a dark spot on her perfect, pale skin. Bella writhed under me, little whimpers and moans escaping every time my lips met her skin.

"I'm gonna taste you now, love," I said, just loud enough that she could hear. "Do you want that? Do you wanna feel my tongue on your pussy?"

"Fuck!" she breathed, opening her thighs even more for me, the piano sounding off with every movement, like an expertly played erotic concerto.

"Soon," I assured her teasingly before lowering my head and sliding my tongue through her wetness.

And oh, fuck, she was wet. She tasted like green apples, tart and sweet, and her juices coated my tongue, making me feel more drunk than I'd been all night. For long minutes, I teased her, tracing her lips with my tongue and gathering all her sweetness.

"Fuck me," she begged as she tried lifting her hips to meet my mouth when I pulled away.

"Will you come for me, Bella?" I asked quietly, barely in control of my own desire.

When I slid two fingers inside her and immediately curled them, finding her sweet spot as my lips sucked her clit into my mouth so I could tease it with my teeth and tongue, she screamed out my name, coming hard around my fingers. I continued stroking with my fingers, coaxing one more small orgasm from her as I bit gently at her clit.

Her shaking began to ease, and I slipped my fingers out, drawing them to my mouth to taste the fruits of my labor. I groaned, feeling my cock throb as I pressed it against the keys of the piano. I thought about going upstairs to the bed, but with Bella lying there in front of me, barely outlined by the moon, I knew I couldn't wait even that long. I scooped her up again and took two steps forward as her legs wrapped around my waist.

"Are you ready for me, love?" I said almost harshly. It was a rhetorical question; I didn't need her to answer, because her pussy was leaving a wet spot against my stomach from where she was pressed against me.

She merely whimpered, rocking in my arms and reaching up to tangle her fingers in my hair. Every time she tugged, little twinges of pain shot through me, only working to heighten my pleasure.

When her back met the cool wall, I thrust my hips, sliding deep inside her.

"Fuck!" I hissed, feeling her immediately clench around my cock. "That's it, baby. Come for me."

I was so ready for my own orgasm that, within minutes, I knew I couldn't hold out any longer.

"Touch yourself, Bella. I want you to come again for me." My voice was deep and rough, so full of the arousal I was feeling throughout my entire body, and my words were a command Bella followed immediately.

With one hand still in my hair, her free hand slid between us, and I felt her fingers brush against me at the spot we were joined. When her finger found her clit, she jolted, her back stiffening. Her head fell back against the wall, exposing the long column of her neck and shoulder. I wanted to lick and suck my way up that smooth skin and bite down, marking her as mine as I had on the tender skin of her thigh, as I felt her beginning to convulse around me.

She cried out my name, and that, coupled with the near constant squeezing of my cock as I slid in and out of her warmth, pushed me over the edge. I held her tightly against me as I pulsed inside her, the heat from my orgasm spreading like wildfire through my veins.

With harsh breaths and shaking limbs, I lifted her off me and pulled her in for another kiss before I tucked myself back into my jeans. "God, I love you," I murmured as I rested my forehead against hers.

Bella sighed, a gentle smile on her face. "I love you, too."

"Happy New Year, love," I told her, brushing my lips across hers softly.

We gathered up everything we needed, including the ruined thong and her shoes on the floor at our feet, and made our way upstairs, hand in hand.


	42. Chapter 42

**Bella's POV**

Esme, Rose, Alice, and I were all sitting in soft, white, terrycloth robes, waiting for our lunch to arrive. We'd all had our massages and facials already, and after lunch, we'd get our nails done—hands and feet—and get our hair fixed for the family pictures.

"So, Bella," Rose said, "Angela's wedding is next month, right? Is she excited?"

I grinned. "She is. I think we've spent at least three hours each week on the phone, working out details. She's got the invitations ready to send in a couple of weeks, her dress is ready—aside from any last-minute alterations—and her appointments at the salon are all booked. Ben has his part under control, too. Apparently she's been..." I chewed on my bottom lip for a minute while I thought of a tactful way to say it. "Well, frankly, the last time I talked to him, he said she was being a bit of a control freak. Not quite Bridezilla, but close. Being by herself up there to plan it has been stressful, so she's involving him a lot more than he'd like."

They all laughed, and Esme said, "Yes, that happens. I got a little crazy when planning my wedding to Carlisle, too. I was in a similar boat to Angela, as I was in a new town, so I didn't know anyone, aside from the people that worked with my husband." She smiled over at me. "She's lucky to have you, Bella."

I shrugged, feeling my cheeks warm slightly. "She's one of my best friends. I don't mind helping, even if it is just to listen on the phone."

Just then, a woman came in carrying a large tray. She set out the fruit plate for the four of us and quickly figured out which sandwich belonged to which person. As soon as she finished putting down the last plate, another woman came in with another tray, only this one was full of glasses. I saw four water glasses, as well as four champagne glasses filled with orange juice—and I assumed champagne, making them mimosas.

"Here are your drinks, ladies. The first round of mimosas are already included in the price." She finished passing them around the table and then left us alone.

We continued making conversation, until Rose interrupted, looking over at Alice. "Hey, if you're not gonna drink that," she said, pointing to Alice's still full champagne glass, "I'll take it."

Alice's cheeks—normally pale—began to flush, and she looked down at her plate, slowing picking apart a piece of crust from her sandwich. When she didn't say anything, it suddenly seemed to register to us all.

"Alice?" Esme said softly. "Is there something you want to tell us?" Her voice was quiet, but there was no mistaking the excitement she was feeling.

Rose and I grinned as Alice blushed even more red before looking up with tears in her eyes and whispering, "I'm pregnant."

"Really?" Esme nearly squealed. "I'm gonna be a grandma?" At Alice's nod, she jumped from her chair and nearly hauled Alice bodily out of her seat to wrap her in a warm, yet excited, embrace. "I'm gonna be a grandma!" she said again, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're not mad?" I heard Alice ask softly. "I mean, we weren't planning it or anything, but we'd kind of hoped to wait until after we got married."

"Oh, sweetheart, no," Esme murmured. "You're an adult, and you're in love with and engaged to be married to a man who loves you more than anything else in the world. That's all that matters to me."

Alice burst into tears, and Esme continued to hold her, gently stroking her hair and murmuring softly for only her to hear. When her tears began to fade, Alice backed away, using her fingers to brush away the remaining tears on her cheeks.

"Sorry," she said with a short laugh. "It seems I'm extra emotional right now."

As soon as she and Esme were seated again, we all began peppering her with questions.

"When did you find out?" Rose asked.

Esme was beaming when she spoke. "When are you due, sweetheart?"

I could only think of what Edward's reaction would be when we had children, and that made me think of Jasper. "What did Jasper say when you told him?"

Alice grinned. "Yesterday, September twenty-fourth, and he cried. He's telling Dad and the boys today."

I laughed, both at the way she'd answered everything at once and at the thought of what the guys' reactions would be. Esme and Rose chuckled too, grinning.

We continued eating and talking until Alice finally noticed that Esme was especially quiet.

"Mom? What's wrong?" She looked concerned as she watched Esme.

Esme's eyes filled with tears, and she smiled tremulously. "I'm just so happy for you, sweetheart. I may not have given birth to you, Emmett, or Edward, but I know that having a child is the greatest joy you could ever possibly receive. You're going to make such a wonderful mother."

Alice burst into tears again, and the emotional scene between mother and daughter had both Rose and myself crying, as well. The rest of lunch was filled with laughter and happy tears, until Alice finally decreed that there would be no more tears, or we would all look puffy for the photos.

Once we'd all wiped our eyes and given Alice one more hug, we split into two groups. Esme and Alice went first to get their nails done, while Rose and I went to get our hair trimmed and styled. We would switch after and then meet up to go home once we were all finished.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

"Deal 'em up, bro," Emmett said, pushing the newly shuffled stack of cards to me.

The guys and I were all at my parents' house, waiting for the girls to get back from the spa so we could get the photos taken that Dad had gotten my mom for Christmas. We'd already played a game of seven-card stud, and Emmett was feeling overly confident after his big win. Now, we were playing hand and foot, which was one of my favorites.

We had bowls of chips and nuts, some egg rolls my dad had baked up in the oven, Little Smokies sausages, popcorn, and a plate of cheese, salami, and crackers. By one o'clock, Emmett had already polished off a plate of the mini sausages by himself, and we'd had to heat up a second batch. We'd been snacking throughout the morning and early afternoon in place of lunch, and the chili my mom had started in the crock pot—the huge one she used when we were all home—before leaving that morning was smelling better and better, keeping us hungry.

I dealt out eleven cards to each of the four of us from the five-deck stack. Jasper and I were winning by about eleven hundred points going into the second hand. He'd been unusually quiet, even for Jasper. I didn't think Dad or Emmett had noticed, since—as usual—Emmett couldn't stop talking long enough to hear if anyone else was or not.

Before we started the new hand, Jasper said, "I could use another beer. Anyone else?"

We all raised our hands, so he moved into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and pulled out four bottles, popping the caps off on the edge of the counter. Once back at the table, he handed them out and then stood, raising his own drink.

"I'd like to propose a toast," he said. "I hope you all aren't busy in September. Alice and I would love to have you join us when we celebrate the birth of our first child."

He grinned as we all sat frozen.

Emmett was the first to respond, and his loud, "Whoop!" broke the trance my dad and I seemed to be under.

"Congratulations, man," I said, reaching across to clink my beer to his.

My dad was smiling so hard that I was afraid his face was going to break. He clapped Jazz on the back and then must have decided that wasn't good enough, because he pulled him in for a big hug. His voice was quiet, barely loud enough for me to hear, as he said, "That's fantastic, son."

After a few more—manly—hugs and well-wishes, we got back to the matter at hand and started playing cards again. We only had a couple of hours until Bella and the rest of them got back, but we were enjoying just hanging out with each other, so I knew the time would pass quickly.

Shortly after four o'clock, my mom called and said they were on their way home. The photographer was supposed to be at the house at five, so they wanted us dressed and ready by the time they got home. The call sent us into action. My dad volunteered to clean up while the rest of us got ready. We all started to help, but Jasper waved us off, claiming he'd help while Emmett and I showered and dressed. We shrugged and headed upstairs.

I hurriedly rinsed off in the shower, mainly using the time to wash my hair, which I thought needed a trim—something I'd been forbidden to do yet by Bella. Once out, I dressed in the dark slacks and dark gray dress shirt Alice had chosen. She'd been in charge of picking out the styles we would all wear for the pictures. Each couple was color coordinated, but in her words, none of us were "matchy matchy." Bella was going to wear a gray fuzzy sweater that matched my shirt, but that was all I knew.

In time with my last thought, the woman herself walked into our room, just as I was finishing buttoning up the shirt. She looked beautiful. Her hair was curled under at the end, looking sleek and sexy, and she was absolutely glowing and relaxed.

"Hi, love," I said, giving her a kiss hello.

Her answering smile lit up the whole room.

She slipped her arms around me, taking care not to wrinkle my shirt, and gave me a hug, stretching up on my her to kiss me.

"Did Jasper tell you their news?" she asked as she backed away and turned around so I could unzip me. Once I'd drawn the zipper down, she slipped it over her shoulders and off her arms, letting it flutter to the floor.

I'd barely heard her question, so taken in by the sight in front of me. Bella was standing there in nothing but a little black bra and panties set. She was lucky I hadn't seen her before she'd left, or I'd have—

She laughed. "Edward! Snap out of it," she teased.

I took a step toward her, my eyes still roaming the length of her body, but she laughed again and backed away, one arm over her chest, the other held out in front of her to warn him off.

"No way," she told me with a grin. "Alice would kill me if we wrinkled your clothes or I messed up my hair, and we can't be annoying the pregnant woman."

That snapped me out of it, and I finally looked up at me and grinned. "Sorry, love," I purred, my voice warm and filled with lust. "You're right. Bad timing."

She giggled as she moved into the closet for the clothes Alice had chosen.

By the time she came out of the closet, tucking a white dress shirt into a dark gray skirt, wearing a matching sweater and holding black high heels, I was dressed, my hair was dry and—somewhat—styled, and I was sitting at the desk, waiting for her. She smiled and walked into the bathroom to do her makeup.

As she finished getting ready, I told her about our card games and about Jasper telling us that he and Alice were having a baby.

"Isn't it amazing?" she asked, carefully applying mascara to her lashes. I held back my chuckle when her jaw dropped. I'd grown up seeing Alice and my mom do it, too. It amused me that women couldn't seem to put on some makeup without their mouth hanging open.

"It is," I agreed. "I think they were planning on having their wedding in August, but now I wonder if they're gonna either move it up or back, so she's either not very pregnant or has already had the baby."

"Hmm. I hadn't thought of that... I think they'll probably wait, but I honestly have no idea."

She came out of the bathroom, sliding earrings into her ears, and then handed me the necklace. Lifting her short hair out of the way, she asked, "Put that on me, please."

Once she was ready, I held my hand out, and she slid hers into it. I pulled her to me, kissing her lightly on the lips. "You look beautiful," I murmured softly.

"Thank you," she said, smiling as she reached up to wipe a trace of her lipstick from my lips, showing me the small pink smudge. "You're quite handsome yourself."

We walked out of the room, meeting Rose and Emmett—decked out in navy blue and black—at the top of the stairs. When we got downstairs, my parents, in their dark burgundy tops, were sitting on the sofa, chatting with the woman who must've been Sophie, the photographer. Jasper was in the chair to the left of the couch, with a weirdly calm Alice perched on his lap. They were wearing dark purple and looked absolutely, stunningly happy.

"There they are!" Mom said, standing and coming over to us. "You all look perfect." She turned to the photographer. "Sophie, these are my other children. Our son, Emmett, and his wife, Rose, and this is Edward and his fiancee, Bella." She pointed to each of us in turn.

The woman came over, camera in hand, and smiled. "Hi, guys. I'm Sophie Cole. It's nice to meet you."

We all said hello and shook her hand, waiting for direction on where to stand or sit.

~*~CIBD~*~

After an hour, we'd taken nearly a dozen pictures—everything from casual, with us laughing and playful, to much more poised _and_ posed—and were gathered around the laptop Sophie had brought, viewing the photos. There were pictures of us grouped as couples, with my parents in the middle and the rest of us gathered around them, a few with us grouped together by sex, with the women on the couch and the men behind them, and others in different poses and settings. My favorite, though, had to be the one of us all outside on the back deck. It was very, very cold, but it wasn't raining or snowing, so we'd braved the cold and taken a beautiful picture with the snowy landscape as the backdrop.

While my parents finished with Ms. Cole, we all went upstairs to change back into our casual clothes. We were going to spend the night, so we'd all agreed to dress in sweats or sleepwear and eat bowls of chili with crackers and cheese in the living room, a fire roaring and movie playing on the TV.

Once we were all settled in the living room, Dad moved to turn the movie on, but Alice stopped him.

"As you guys know, we'd originally decided on August for our wedding." She waited until we had all nodded before continuing. "I thought about putting it off and waiting until the baby was born to get married, but Jasper and I would both like to be married before the baby comes. Still, I don't wanna be showing when we get married—the dress I'm gonna wear wouldn't allow it—so we're gonna push the wedding up to next month, the week after Bella and Edward go to Forks for her friend Angela's wedding."

Once again, they'd stunned us all into silence, until my mom smiled and said softly, "Well, I guess that means we have a wedding to plan."

_Whew_. It was going to be a _looooong_ month!


	43. Chapter 43

**Fourteen Days Till Cheney/Webber Wedding  
Twenty-One Days Till Hale/Cullen Wedding  
Bella's POV**

"Yeah, Ang," I said for the third time in ten minutes. "The caterers have been finalized, and the bridesmaids dresses will be ready in a week."

I sighed quietly when I felt Edward slide in behind me on the bed, and I relaxed back against his bare chest. I hadn't seen him come in, because I'd been so focused on the notebook in front of me. It was two weeks before Angela's wedding and three weeks before Alice's, and between the two of them, I was going insane. I got at least two phone calls a day from each of them, and between worrying about the caterers, the dresses, the flowers, and the guest lists, I felt like I was drowning in wedding stuff. Edward had been the only refuge I'd had from the craziness.

As Angela continued telling me about the latest problems—something about her Great-Uncle Stuart and the seating arrangements—Edward began rubbing my shoulders, easing the stress away. I'd only been up thirty minutes when Angela called, so I'd barely had time to get out of the shower to answer the phone. I was wrapped in only a towel, leaving my shoulders and arms bare for Edward's touch.

Edward had gotten in the shower after me, so he was as naked as I was, and I could feel his body hard against my back, making me sigh. His hands slipped down to my thighs, his thumbs caressing the skin right under the edge of the towel as his lips brushed soft kisses over the skin of my exposed back. I shivered as his tongue darted out to catch a drop of water I could feel trailing down my shoulder, and when he nipped at my skin, I squeaked into the phone.

"Bella?" Angela paused before asking, "Are you listening?"

I switched the phone to my other ear and said on a shaky breath, "Yeah, Ang. I'm here, sorry. Go on."

She started speaking again, at the same moment I felt Edward's hands slide farther up my thighs, his long fingers just barely ghosting along my drying skin. When his lips met my neck, I tilted my head to give him better access, using my free hand to pull my damp hair out of the way.

My breath caught when his hand moved up my stomach to cup one of my breasts, and I barely held in a moan when his other drifted across my pussy.

Moving the phone away from my mouth, I hissed, "Edward!"

His only response was a quick, soft pinch of my nipple, making it even harder than it had been.

Again, he brushed my folds with his fingers, only this time, he dipped one finger inside, gathering the wetness. Bringing his hand out of my towel, he ran his slick finger over my shoulder before laving at it with his tongue, humming quietly to himself. When his hand cupped me again, I jerked, and when he slid two fingers inside me, using his thumb to flick at my clit, I felt my inner muscles spasm around him and bit my lip to cry out.

"A-Ang," I breathed, "I need to go."

"What?" Her voice rose in pitch slightly as she said, "Bella, what about—"

Even as I was fumbling to get the phone down to where I could hang it up, I said, "I'll call you back."

Dropping it to the floor, I moaned out, "So bad, Edward!"

He rocked his hips against me, and I could feel his now fully erect cock pressing up against my lower back.

"Not bad," he mumbled against my shoulder, pressing a kiss to the skin. "Horny."

I choked out a laugh as his fingers glided in and out of me below. "You're always horny."

"Mmhmm," he confirmed. "Just like you, my Bella." He thumbed my clit harder, as if to prove his point.

I jerked my hips again at the press to my clit.

"I want you to come for me," he breathed as he kissed his way up my neck. "Come around my fingers, love, and then you can have my cock."

I whimpered, and when he flicked my clit, sucked on the skin under my ear, and pinched my nipple lightly, it was all too much. I stiffened, squeezing my thighs tight around his hand to keep it trapped as it pressed against me, and came, crying out his name.

Edward moved his hand from my breast to my hair, tugging until I was looking over my shoulder enough that he could lean forward and capture my lips with his. As we kissed, he pulled his hand free of the cage I'd made of my thighs and tugged the towel from around my body, dropping it to the floor with the phone. After one last kiss, he swept the notebooks from the bed and then propelled me forward until I was on my hands and knees, facing the end of the bed.

Without a word, he pressed again on my upper back, lowering me to my forearms with my ass in the air.

"Mmm, look at you," he murmured. "All on display for me."

When his fingers lightly traced my slit, I felt my legs part more for him, almost unconsciously.

"So open, so wet...almost dripping." His voice was low, growly. "Are you ready for me, Bella?" he asked, dipping a fingertip in—just enough to make me want more.

When I tried to push back against him, he gave me a swat on my backside. "Not yet, pretty girl," he crooned. "Answer me first."

"Yes, dammit," I whined. "Fuck me, Edward!"

He chuckled, and then his finger left me. I was almost ready to complain, but I felt his cock running up and down my slit where his finger had just been. For several long minutes, he just teased—pressing against me, barely touching, dipping in just far enough for me to feel—until I finally looked back over my shoulder and growled at him.

"Enough teasing," I told him, biting my lip. "Fu—"

My demand was cut off when he pulled out and then thrust inside me in one long, hard stroke.

"Hold on, love," he said, gripping my hips tightly.

I fisted the comforter in my hands, trying to keep myself in place as he continued the pace he'd set. With every thrust, my breasts brushed against the bed, rubbing my nipples and keeping them at hard peaks. Even with holding on to the blanket, we were moving forward, the momentum propelling us toward the end of the bed.

Apparently, Edward knew that too, as he pulled out just as quickly as he'd entered me. I started to protest, until I felt him behind me, moving to lie down.

"Come here, love." His tone was soft, yet firm.

Fuck, that commanding tone would be the death of me!

I turned and saw that he was, indeed, lying back against the pillows, his cock standing straight at attention. It was practically begging for attention. _Who am I to deny?_

I crawled up between his legs, wrapping my fingers around the base of his cock and lowering my head over him. He jerked in surprise, thrusting into my mouth. He tasted musky and slightly tangy. My juices mixed with his pre-cum were strong on my tongue as I began to lap at him, swirling my tongue around the head. He groaned, and when he reached down to pull me off him, a string of his pre-cum followed my tongue.

I laughed softly, licking my lips, as he continued to pull me up his body. I kissed him as I moved to straddle him, and when I lowered myself on him, I broke away, gasping. Wanting to ride him, I sat up, using my hands on his stomach for balance.

For long minutes, I moved up and down his cock, rocking my hips and biting my lip at the feelings coursing through my body. When his hand snaked between our bodies and his fingers pressed against my clit, I started to shake, and I knew my second orgasm wasn't far behind.

"Come with me," I groaned out, feeling myself starting to clench around him.

I reached up and began plucking at my nipples with my fingers, causing Edward to hiss out and began pumping his hips up while flicking my clit harder. That was all it took, and I cried out, slamming my eyes closed as my vision went black, white dots appearing as I flew over the edge. My orgasm drew Edward's out of him, and I felt him thrust hard one last time before he spilled himself inside me, his moan mixing with mine.

After a moment, I collapsed beside him on the bed, laughing as I tried to regulate my breathing.

We were lying there, spent, when the phone rang. I ignored it, and the ringing eventually stopped. Two minutes later, it started ringing again, and I groaned, leaning down over the edge of the bed and fumbling around until I found it.

Looking at the caller ID, I sighed and flopped back down to the mattress as I hit Talk.

"Hello, Alice."

~*~CIBD~*~

**Five Days Till Cheney/Webber Wedding  
Twelve Days Till Hale/Cullen Wedding**

"Shelly, can you handle things out here while I go back to the storeroom and do inventory?" I picked up the notebook and my cell phone, looking over at my assistant. It was still hard to call Mrs. Cope by her first name, but she'd insisted.

"Sure, sweetheart," she said, smiling over at me. She was wiping down shelves and straightening books in between customers.

"Thanks." I smiled and headed into the back room.

Thirty minutes later, I was up to my neck in books, having moved back and forth from the storeroom to the main room multiple times. When my phone rang, I reached for it and flipped it open, putting it to my ear as I made another notation on the notebook in front of me.

"'Lo?"

"Bella?" Alice cried.

I dropped my pencil and rubbed my forehead. This was the first of what I was sure would be eight or ten phone calls from one of the two upcoming brides in my life. Still, this was the first time one of them had called in tears.

"What's wrong, Alice?" I asked soothingly. "Why are you crying?"

She sobbed out something, and even though it wasn't clear, my best guess was, "The caterer quit. We have no food!"

It was either that, or something about a skater and her foot.

"The caterer quit, honey?"

"Uh-huh!" she sobbed. "What am I gonna do? There's less than two weeks till the wedding!"

"Okay, tell me what happened, Alice," I said gently as I stood. I gathered my stuff and walked to my office, smiling and rolling my eyes at Mrs. Cope, who laughed quietly as the checked out an older woman, whose arms were full of books.

Through her tears, Alice was able to say, "The caterer called first thing this morning. She said she'd just found out who was doing the flowers for my wedding, and she was unable to work with them. Apparently, there was an...altercation a few months ago at a wedding, and she refused to do a wedding with them. She actually apologized—as if that's supposed to make me feel better?" By the time she finished her explanation, she was sobbing again.

I sat down in front of my computer and opened the file I'd been keeping of vendor options for Alice's wedding. "Okay, I'm looking at the list of caterers now. We'll find something else. Can you come down to the store so we can go through them?"

There was a knock on my open door, and I looked up into Alice's tear-streaked face.

"I took the chance that you'd be able to h-help me," she said on a hiccup.

I chuckled and motioned her in. "Come on," I said, pointing to the chair across from my desk. "Pull that around, and we'll figure something out."

By the time Alice had the chair pulled around, I was dialing the first number on the list.

"Red Radish Catering Company," the woman's voice answered. "How may I help you?"

I plastered a smile on my face, even though she couldn't see me, and said sweetly, "Yes, hi. I'm looking into caterers for my friend's wedding."

"What date?" she asked briskly.

I gave her the date of Alice's wedding, and the woman barked a short laugh.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we require at least three months in advance."

I thanked her and hung up, frowning at Alice. "They needed three months." Seeing her eyes fill again, I brightened. "That's okay. We have a few more options."

The next three phone calls were the same. One actually just laughed, and I took that as the answer.

Alice was getting more and more disheartened, and by the time I hung up from the last call, she was crying again.

In desperation, I pulled out the physical copy of the contract we had with Tie the Bread Knot, her original caterer, and began reading.

Twenty minutes later, I slammed my palm down on the desk. "I've got it!"

Alice looked up, eyes alight. "What?"

I grinned. "According to your contract, neither party can back out of the contract without due cause within fourteen days of the event, without paying three times the original contract price." I looked at the calendar. "There are twelve days until your wedding."

I picked up the phone again and dialed the number for the caterer, putting it on speakerphone.

"Hello, thank you for calling Tie the Bread Knot Caterers. How may I help you?"

"Hi. This is Bella Swan. I'm calling about the Cullen-Hale wedding on the twentieth of March."

"Yes, Ms. Swan. As I told Ms. Cullen this morning, it's unfortunate, but we can—"

"Yes, I know what you told Ms. Cullen," I said, interrupting. "But if you will pull out the original Cullen-Hale contract, you will see the clause your company included." I read off the page and paragraph, giving her a moment to find it. "As you can see, it would cost you thousands and thousands of dollars if you cancel now, twelve days before their wedding. I'm sure that's not something you want to—"

"No, of course not," she said, interrupting me this time. "We'll be there as scheduled. And please tell Ms. Cullen we'll be including an extra case of champagne, on the house, at the reception for her worries."

"Thank you," I said sweetly.

We hung up, and I grinned at Alice. "Crisis averted."

Alice jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around me, bouncing excitedly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried, tears—albeit happy ones now—rolling down her cheeks.

"That's my job, honey," I said, patting her back. "Now, you need to get back to work, and so do I. We'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, straightening up and wiping her face with a tissue from the box on my desk. "I'll call you."

I smiled, mentally rolling my eyes. _Yes, I'm sure you will_, I laughed to myself.

~*~CIBD~*~

**Day of Cheney/Webber Wedding  
Seven Days Till Hale/Cullen Wedding**

"There," Tina said to Angela. "Your hair's done."

Angela had hired her regular hair dresser from Seattle to come to the church in Forks. Tina had made her look absolutely stunning. Angela's long hair fell in beautiful, soft waves, curling around and framing her face perfectly.

We'd done her makeup already, but she was waiting until the last minute to put on her dress. Until then, she was hanging out in a comfortable robe and her pantyhose and heels.

There was a knock on the door, and Edward called out, "Is everyone decent?"

I looked at Ang, and she nodded. "Yeah, we're good. Come in," I told him.

Edward opened the door only wide enough for him to slip inside, closing it gently behind him. "Ben sent me to get the marriage license from Angela so he could give it to the pastor."

Angela shot me a look. "Was I supposed to have that? I thought Ben had it!" She rushed over to the table where her bag was resting and began sorting through everything.

"I don't remember seeing it, honey," her mother said, looking at me.

"I haven't seen it," I murmured to Edward. "Ben was sure he didn't have it?"

He nodded, watching Angela and her mother frantically checking the table.

"Does he remember where he last saw it?"

"He said something about putting it on the table for Angela to grab on her way to the church," Edward said, running a hand through his already wild hair.

"Da—Uh, darnit," I sighed. "I bet it's still there. Angela had her nails done this morning, and while packing her suitcase for the honeymoon, she broke one and had to go back and get it fixed. I went with her, and we came straight to the church from there."

"Want me to run and check?" he asked quietly.

Nodding, I said, "Ang, let Edward borrow your keys. Ben left it on the kitchen table for you, but we missed it when we went to get your nail fixed, I think."

Angela sighed, rolling her eyes. "Why he didn't just take it himself, I have no idea." She handed Edward a key. "Here. Thank you," she told him, smiling wearily.

"Not a problem," he assured her. "I'll be back shortly." He gave me a quick kiss and then left the room.

"What else can go wrong?" Angela asked pitifully, sighing as she began to pace.

Ten minutes later, she was still pacing back and forth in the small room. There was only thirty minutes until the ceremony was set to start, and her butterflies were out in full force.

"Ow!" she suddenly cried.

I looked up and noticed her holding her shin. "What happened?"

"I ran into the corner of the couch," she said, rubbing up and down her leg from ankle to knee. She growled suddenly. "I snagged my hose!"

I _knew_ she shouldn't have tempted fate.

"Okay, where's your backup pair, sweetie?" I asked calmly.

"In my bag," she said, pointing, before beginning to tug off the ruined pair of hose.

Her mother handed me the new package, and I carefully unwrapped them, kneeling down as best I could in my dress to help Angela pull them up over her feet. When I got to her knees, I backed away and let Ang take over.

About midway up her thighs, she cursed, immediately looking ashamed, and burst into tears.

"What happened?" I bit my lip, knowing the answer before she even said it.

"My fingernail snagged it," she cried. "That was my only backup pair."

"Okay, hold still. I'll help you finish pulling it up, and then we'll take care of the hole," I assured her.

Her mother and I worked together to pull the pantyhose up over Angela's hips, tugging it gently into place. The rip was right about mid-inner thigh and only about an inch and a half long. If we could get some nail polish on it, she'd be fine.

"Did anyone think to bring some nail polish?" I asked, thinking about what I had in my purse and wondering if I happened to have some.

Angela hiccuped out a no, and Sherry, Angela's mother, shook her head.

"Okay, let me call Edward," I said, smiling calmly.

I took out my phone and called Edward, asking where he was at that moment.

"Just pulling out onto the street leading to the church," he answered. "Why?"

_Whew._

"Stop at the corner mart and get a bottle of nail polish, please. Clear, if they have it, but any light color will do if they don't."

"Uh, okay," he said. "Why?"

"Runs in stockings," I explained. "And hurry. We're running out of time."

He sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you," I murmured before clicking the phone shut.

"He's going to stop for nail polish?" Sherry asked.

I nodded. "He'll be here shortly," I promised.

~*~CIBD~*~

Four hours later, the newlyweds were on their way to Canada for a short honeymoon, my duties as Maid of Honor were done, and Edward and I were in the car on the way home. Until I sat down in the front seat and closed the door, I hadn't had a chance to breathe in seven hours. My feet were aching, so I slipped off my shoes and sighed.

"Feet hurt?" Edward asked softly, taking my hand in his and squeezing it gently.

I nodded. "Bad," I sighed. "It was a beautiful ceremony, though, wasn't it?"

"It was," he agreed. "Angela's dad did a nice job, and Ben's cousin has a beautiful voice."

"Mmhmm," I said sleepily.

I'd been up since four o'clock that morning, waking to a frantic call from Angela, who'd been worried that she wouldn't remember her vows. I closed my eyes and laid my head back against the seat, planning to nap the entire trip home.

And then the phone rang.

_Alice._

~*~CIBD~*~

**Day of Hale/Cullen Wedding**

"All right, ladies and gentlemen. Gather round!" the DJ called out over the microphone. "The bride and groom have decided to switch things up a bit, and rather than throw the bouquet and garter right before they leave, they're doing it now so the lucky receivers get to dance one time in the spotlight."

Alice and Jasper stood at the front of the room, beaming so hard, they seemed to be glowing.

"I need all you single ladies to join the new Mrs. Hale at the front of the room," the DJ continued. "Come on, don't be shy!" His voice was teasing and playful.

I didn't move, not wanting to join the small crowd gathering, for fear of falling on my face and being the center of attention.

"Go on," Rose said, pushing me forward gently. When I shook my head, she shoved a bit harder. "Alice wants you out there," she told me, pointing to where Alice was looking at me, almost begging me to participate.

With a sigh and a laugh, I made my way to the edge of the group, staying near the back. I felt a shove, and when I found myself at the front of the group, I looked up to see Alice grinning. Looking back, I saw Rose walking back to Emmett, who was laughing.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, turning back to Alice, who winked at me before turning her back to the group.

The rest of the crowd counted down from five, and on one, Alice peeked over her shoulder and tossed her bouquet—made of peach roses, light pink and white peonies, white hydrangea, and a few other beautiful flowers—straight at me. I had no choice but to reach up and catch it, lest I get smacked in the face with the flowery missile.

The crowd cheered as I blushed and held the bouquet up, shaking my head at my sneaky friend.

She rushed over to me and gave me a hug, murmuring, "You're next, Bella-boo."

I laughed and squeezed her gently, not wanting to mess up her dress and hair. "Thanks, Ali," I said, unable to be anything but happy for her. She'd been a royal pain in my ass the last five weeks, but when it was all said and done, she was my sister and my friend, and if I'd made it easier for her, I'd do it all over again.

"All right! Now for all the single men," the DJ called.

I moved back to stand by Rose, giving her shoulder a gentle thump, even as she grinned, while Edward rolled his eyes and went to stand up by some of the cousins, friends, and little boys who'd gathered at the front.

The DJ began to play "Let's Get It On," by Marvin Gaye, as Jasper held a chair for Alice before moving around to kneel in front of her. For a moment, I thought he was going to stick his head under her dress, but instead, he simply slid his hands up her leg slowly, a huge grin on his face. Alice was beet red, shaking her head, when Jasper finally drew the dark pink garter out from under the dress. He turned so his back was to the men and boys on the dance floor and, while looking back over his shoulder, shot the flimsy material straight at Edward.

Edward tried to catch it, but failed miserably, as the garter smacked him in the face, much to his embarrassment. I laughed when he turned around and was as red as I'd ever seen him. Jasper moved to him and clapped him on the back, whispering something in his ear. Edward shook his head and chuckled, making his way back to me and offering me his hand.

"I believe the next dance is ours," he huffed, laughing.

As Elton John's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" began playing, Edward pulled me to the dance floor, tossing Jasper the garter. I gave Alice the bouquet and then wrapped my arms around his neck, swaying to the music.

"What did Jasper say to you?" I asked after a moment.

He pulled back and grinned. "He said we were next."

I shook my head and laughed quietly. "Alice said the same thing to me."

We continued to dance, and Edward said, "It was a long month, wasn't it?"

"I never want to go through that again!" I said seriously. Edward looked worried, and I hastened to explain, "No, no, I mean, I want to marry you! I just...I can't do all"—I waved around at the crowd—"this again." I looked down and frowned. "Does that make sense?"

"You mean the Bridezilla, lose your head, craziness?" he asked with a smirk.

I nodded. "I want the marriage, without all the stress."

"What about—" he started, before stopping, shaking his head. "Never mind."

"What?" I asked, tilting my head in question.

"Well, we could do that. Get married without the stress, I mean."

I looked at him as he stared down at me, and I finally got it. "Vegas?" I asked quietly.

"Vegas," he confirmed.

We were both quiet for a moment, lost in the music, before grinning.

"Vegas!"


	44. Chapter 44

**Edward's POV**

I was sitting behind the counter, eating lunch with Bella, when my phone dinged, alerting me to a new text.

_Yo, whatcha doin tonight? A wants you guys to come over._

"Alice and Jasper want us to come over tonight. You game?" I asked Bella around a bite of my sandwich.

She nodded, smiling. "Sure." She smiled. "Alice has been anxious to have us over so she can show Rose and me her designs for the baby's room and new clothing line."

Grabbing my phone, I texted Jasper back. _Sure. Sixish?_

_Sounds good. Gotta go. Doing emergency training today._

_Whats that?_

_We have to make sure everyone in the building is ejaculated before this fake bomb is detonated._

I didn't have time to type in a response before he'd texted again, much to my amusement.

_Dammit! ejaculated = evacuated_

I snorted, throwing my head back in laughter as Bella raised an eyebrow in question. I started to tell her, but the phone rang. Seeing Jasper's number, I hit Answer and held it up to my ear.

"Dude, you work at a high school," I said with a laugh. "That's just wrong!"

"Fuck, man, you know what I meant," he said, laughing. "My job's not that interesting, I promise."

"Suuuuure," I teased. "You know I have to show this to Emmett, right?"

It was quiet for a moment, and then I heard him half-grunt, half-sigh, before he muttered, "Whatever," and hung up the phone.

Laughing, I just shook my head and explained to Bella.

She burst out laughing and then snorted. "That's going up on DYAC."

"DYAC?" I echoed. "Huh?"

"Oh, honey, you are sorely in need of an education!" she teased with a shake of her head. "Damn You Auto Correct—DYAC. Rose, Alice, and I spent hours looking through that site a while back. People send in their funny—and fucked up—texts, like the one Jasper sent you, and they get posted for everyone to read."

She reached over and snagged my laptop, pulling up the site once she had the browser open.

"Here," she told me, turning it back my way. "Read."

For the next twenty minutes, I could barely breathe, I was laughing so hard. It was a damn good thing I didn't have any customers, because I'd have scared them away for sure.

"I think my favorite had to be the one about the baby in the freezer," I told her when I finally bookmarked the site and closed the browser. "Bacon...baby...what's the difference?"

She giggled, crumpling up her trash and tossing it into the wastebasket beside the counter. "I'd better get back. See you after work?"

I nodded and pulled her into my arms for a kiss.

~*~CIBD~*~

**Later that night...**

"Holy crow!" Bella exclaimed as soon as we were in the car and our doors were shut. "And I thought planning _her_ wedding was bad!"

I laughed as I started the car and pulled away from the curb. Alice had been busy in the month since her wedding. She and Rose had already begun planning Bella's and my wedding, and the minute we'd walked into the house tonight, they'd nearly jumped on Bella, dragging her off to look through the wedding books they'd started.

"I know," I agreed, shaking my head. "I could hear everything." The guys and I had cooked dinner while the women talked dresses, flowers, music, and venue. My head was still spinning.

"I know we told them we had plenty of time, but Edward," she whined, "I can't spend seven months doing this! I'll go insane!"

When cornered about all the details, Bella had blurted out suddenly that we wanted to be married at Christmas, so we had plenty of time to plan. In all honestly, we hadn't done much talking yet about setting a date, but if she wanted to wait until Christmas, I would be okay with it. Whatever made her happy.

"Are you set on a December wedding, love?" I asked curiously, reaching over to take her hand in mine.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her shake her head.

"No, not really." She laughed softly. "I just wanted to come up with a date far enough in the future that they didn't have to rush. It's going to be crazy enough having to deal with it spread out like that, but can you imagine doing it by June, when Alice wanted us to? It would be as hard to plan as hers was!"

I was quiet for a moment. "What about Vegas?" I asked suddenly. "We joked about it at their reception, but if that's something you wanna consider, we certainly can."

She chuckled, but shook her head. "No, as much fun as that sounds, I can't do that to Charlie or your parents. Not even to the rest of them, as much as they drove me crazy tonight. My mom—" She stopped, taking a deep, ragged breath before continuing. "My mom can't be there, so it's important to me that Charlie is."

I nodded, understanding completely. We were quiet again, both thinking over the issue at hand. About halfway home, I had an idea.

"What about if we did an ambush wedding?" The more I thought about it, the more I got into the idea.

"Whatcha mean?" Bella asked, turning in her seat to look at me.

"Why don't we plan it ourselves—in secret—and have them show up somewhere for some other reason, but then surprise them with the wedding?" I continued, feeling comfortably sure of the thought.

Bella bit her lower lip, obviously thinking it over, before she finally nodded. "I like that idea," she said with a smile. "You know, we could get your mom and dad involved. Have them help us plan it. I was thinking about wanting to maybe have it in their backyard, if you didn't mind, so maybe they can help keep it from everyone else and help us set it up."

"That sounds perfect," I told her, squeezing her hand in mine once before pulling away to take the wheel. "We can call them tomorrow."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Two Weeks Later  
Bella's POV**

I was sitting on the bed in one of Edward's T-shirts and a pair of boy shorts, flipping through the catalog of dresses I'd gotten in the mail from the little shop in Seattle that Esme had recommended, when the phone rang. Edward was in the living room, working on a piece of music he was composing, so I knew he wouldn't answer the phone.

"Hello?" I answered distractedly, without bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hi, sweetheart," Esme's voice crooned sweetly. "Did you get the catalog? Have you found anything?"

I set the magazine aside and smiled. "I did, and maybe. I found a few possibilities. They're all like we'd talked about—tea length, not too flashy or formal, and beautiful. I'm having a hard time narrowing it down to which I like best." I tried to figure out how to show them to her, and then a light bulb went off over my head. "Oh! Hold on, and I'll send you pictures."

Pulling the magazine back over to me, I flipped through to the first dress, took a picture with my phone, and then did that twice more before sending them off to Esme.

"Got them. Let me look," she said excitedly. There was a minute of silence before she gasped. "Oh, Bella! The one with the sweetheart neckline would look stunning on you. Do they have that in stock?"

I flipped back the first marked page—which was my top pick of the three, too—and looked at the notations the lady at the store had made. "Yes," I confirmed happily. "She said they have two of those in my size, so all I would need to do was come in for a fitting to make sure it's the right length and doesn't need taking in anywhere."

"Do you have plans tomorrow? We could go up then, since it's Saturday. Mrs. Cope can watch the store for the few hours you're open, right?"

I closed my eyes for a minute, trying to remember if I had anything scheduled for the next day, and couldn't think of anything. "That should be fine. Let me call her and make sure she would be okay to do that, and then I'll call you back."

"All right. I'll talk to you then," Esme said before clicking off.

I made the call and got the okay from Mrs. Cope, and then I promptly dialed Esme back.

"Hi," I said once she answered the phone. "We're all set. She'll be there from open to close tomorrow. I told her Angela had asked me to come up for a short visit, which is what I'll tell Alice and Rose if they ask."

Esme laughed. "Good idea. Now, we have flowers covered—the ones from my garden will be beautiful, and any more we need, we can get from my friend—but what about music?"

We talked for another twenty minutes about details before finally saying good night. Just as I was hanging up the phone, Edward came walking into the bedroom. I quickly flipped the catalog closed and shoved it into my bedside table drawer before setting the phone on top.

"Mmm, is that the dresses?" he asked, clearly curious.

I nodded with a smile. "I think I found one. Mrs. Cope is gonna cover the store tomorrow while your mom and I go to Seattle for a fitting. Just a month, and I'll be Mrs. Edward Cullen."

I watched as his eyes changed from their normal color, to a deeper, darker shade of green, the desire so clear that it was breathtaking.

"Fuck, Bella," he uttered, taking a single step toward me. "You know what it does to me to hear you talk about becoming my wife."

I was vaguely aware of the shiver coursing through my body, but everything in me was attuned to the highly aroused man slowly making his way to the bed. With every step he took, he shed one article of clothing, until finally, he crawled up to me on the bed without a stitch on.

"Take it off," he said, jerking his chin toward my clothes.

I'd come upstairs after work and changed into one of Edward's T-shirts, needing to be comfortable after having spent all day in a skirt and blouse.

I tugged the shirt off over my head and had just barely tossed it to the floor when Edward reached out and grabbed my hips, swiftly pulling my legs toward him, forcing me gently onto my back. Before I could utter a sound, he slid my panties down over the curve of my bottom and then off past my feet. He tossed them over his shoulder as his eyes trailed the length of my body. I could almost feel his attention on my breasts, my nipples perking from the cool air and his intense gaze, before moving down to the juncture of my thighs.

"Fuck, Bella," he growled. "You're beautiful. I will never get tired of looking at you like this."

My legs parted without any conscious decision on my part, giving him an even better view. I knew without looking that my lips were slightly swollen with my arousal, as everything between my legs was throbbing, and I could feel the wetness already. I needed...something—hands, a tongue, a cock—_something_ inside me. Now.

"Edward," I begged softly, reaching down to pluck at my tight nipples.

He growled and suddenly drove forward, burying himself to the hilt inside me. We both gasped at the feel of him, at the feel of my inner muscles clenching around him. With his hands under my ass, he pulled me up onto his thighs; at this angle, we could both see him sliding in and out of me, the lips of my pussy gripping him on every stroke.

"God!" I moaned, throwing my head back and closing my eyes.

"Watch, Bella," he guttered softly. "Watch me filling you, taking you. Watch so you know it's me—your soon-to-be husband—making you feel this good."

I cried out as he reached between us and rubbed a circle around my clit with the tip of his finger. My eyes flew open, immediately zeroing in on the spot we were joined. My breath came out in pants, my fingers tightened on my nipples, and my teeth dug into my lower lip as Edward tightened the circles with his finger until he was brushing my throbbing clit over and over again. When he pinched lightly between his thumb and forefinger, I couldn't hold back any longer, and I screamed my pleasure as wave after wave of my orgasm shot through me.

He slowed the movements of his fingers but continued to slide in and out of me as my trembling finally slowed. He murmured something in Italian.

Edward knew what it did to me when he spoke in Italian, and this time was no different. It shot a bolt of desire straight through me. I growled low and reached up to shove at his shoulders. He took the hint and flipped us, keeping himself seated inside me as I straddled him.

I began rocking above him, planting my hands on his chest to steady myself as my hips moved back and forth, back and forth, before circling once, rubbing my clit against the coarse hairs at the base of his cock.

"You had to throw in the Italian, huh?" I teased, clenching him tightly for a moment with my inner muscles. "Even knowing what it does to me."

Edward groaned, sliding his hands up my thighs to cup my ass and help move me above him. "E-Especially knowing what it does to you," he said through gritted teeth as I flicked his tight little nipples.

"Who's riding you now, Edward?" I purred, raising myself up until the head of his cock was barely inside me. When he didn't answer, I slowly lowered myself down before leaning forward even more and feeling his hair rasping against my clit. "Who, love?" I growled, wanting to hear him say the words.

"Oh, fuck!" he hissed when I scored my nails lightly down his chest. "You, love. My wife. Now quit teasing and fuck me!"

I laughed and leaned back up, bracing my hands on his chest and using my legs to help raise and lower myself on his cock. His hands tightened on my hips as he began thrusting as hard as he could below me, forcing me down on him with every thrust up of his hips.

It didn't take long for both of us to be right on the edge. I sat up completely, and in one fluid movement, my hand moved back to tug on his balls while his moved between us to stroke my clit. The sensations were enough to send both of us into space, and we cried out as we flew over the edge of our orgasms together.

I collapsed onto his chest immediately, drenched in sweat and panting heavily. "I'll—have—to—call—you—my—husband—more—often!" I gasped, laughing at his soft growl.

When our sweat began to cool and become uncomfortable, I slowly crawled off my f_iancé and clambered off the bed. Looking over my shoulder as I walked, I teased, "Come on, Edward. Show me how good you can be in the shower."_

_He laughed and hurried after me into the bathroom._

_~*~__CIBD~*~_

**Two Weeks Until the Wedding**

"Hello?" My dad sounded like his normal gruff self.

"Hi, Dad," I said, smiling fondly.

"Bells!" I heard the sounds of some ball game in the background cut off. "How are you? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Dad. Everything's fine," I assured him. "Is Sue there? I have something I wanna talk to you both about."

He gave a grunt, and then I heard fumbling, as if he were covering the speaker, and his muffled voice called out for his wife.

Sue picked up the extension—I could hear the dishwasher running, so I assumed she was in the kitchen—and said, "Hi, Bella. How are you, sweetheart?"

I smiled, shaking my head. Once a parents, always a parent, even to children who weren't biologically her own—or technically even children anymore.

"I'm good, Sue. You?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Trying to sort out Memorial Day plans," Sue answered. "Seth and Leah won't be home, so we'll probably just hang out at home, unless your dad has to work."

"That's why I called, actually," I started. "I'm glad you don't have plans yet. We—uh, Edward and I—are getting married, and we'd love to have you both there."

I heard Charlie start sputtering and choking, and when he'd finally caught his breath, he muttered, "So soon? Bells, are you pr—"

"Geez, Dad, no!" I said with a laugh. "After helping Alice and Angela with their weddings, I just couldn't put up with long, drawn-out wedding planning. We were at dinner at couple of weeks ago with everyone, and Alice and Rose jumped in with all the grand plans they had and badgering me about setting a date, and I just couldn't take it.

"The Cullens have a big Memorial Day barbecue every year, and with Esme's help, Edward and I are planning a surprise wedding ceremony for before the dinner," I finally concluded.

"Mmm," he huffed. "Well, give Sue the details. You know we'll be there, Bells."

"Thanks, Dad," I said softly, feeling tears well up at the emotion I could hear in his voice. "We're going to have it in their back yard, but I'll still need you to walk me down the aisle, okay?"

"Of course, of course. Whatever you need." He was quiet for a minute before saying, "I, uh, need to go check on something in the other room. I'll talk to you later, Bells." I heard him sniff once and then the line clicked off.

After a minute, Sue chuckled. "He came through the kitchen, grabbed a beer, and walked back out, his hand running through his hair and over his face the whole time. So, what can I do to help?"

_~*~__CIBD~*~_

The day after my conversation with my dad, Esme drove up for lunch with the group, minus Jasper, who'd been stuck at school. She'd come back to the store with me to continue talking wedding.

When I told her about my conversation with Charlie, she laughed. "Yes, I can imagine your father's reaction to hearing how close the wedding is. It's one thing when you know your daughter's getting married at some point in the future. It's another when it's suddenly right around the corner."

Nodding, I grinned. "He'll be fine, though. It's not like I'm eighteen and getting married. Not that there's anything wrong with that for some people, but I'm just not that girl." Although, if I'd met Edward sooner, he'd have been able to convince me, I was sure.

Esme pulled out a notepad and pen, opening it to a page near the front. "So, what did Sue say?"

"She's definitely up for helping with the food and will make sure Charlie gets in and gets his new pants hemmed."

We continued going over details, including the guest list—we were keeping it small, limited to family and a few friends—and other last-minute things.

"I feel guilty," I admitted when Esme mentioned Alice's dress that we would be sneaking out of her closet right before that weekend to make sure it still fit her at the ceremony.

"Why, sweetheart?" Esme asked, reaching out for my hand.

I sighed. "I'm afraid Alice and Rosalie will both be upset with me for doing it this way."

She shook her head. "Maybe a bit disappointed that they didn't get to help you plan it, but once they see how happy you and Edward are, they'll forget all about it, I promise."

Smiling, I stood and pulled her in for a hug. "Thank you...for everything."

"My pleasure, always," she said softly, returning my hug. "I'd better get going. I need to make a stop at the store for some of the stuff we still need for the wedding and the party after."

We said our goodbyes, and I went back out front to relieve Mrs. Cope, who'd been pulling more than her fair share while I planned the wedding.


	45. Chapter 45

**Bella's POV**

The weekend of my wedding had arrived. After a month of planning, things were finally coming to fruition. Edward and I had left early from work the day before so we could spend Friday afternoon with Esme, getting the final details ironed out before everyone else came up Saturday, although we'd told Alice and Rose we were going up early to spend some extra time with my dad because he was spending Memorial Day with Sue at the reservation. Because of the holiday, we'd had Sasha and Mrs. Cope cover for us Friday and Saturday morning, but they were both closing the stores Saturday at lunch, and we wouldn't reopen until Tuesday.

"So we're telling them about the real plans when they get here, right?" Edward asked, sliding his arms around me from behind as I stood at the front window, gazing out into the rare early morning sun.

I made a quiet hum of agreement, tilting my head so he could kiss my neck. "I don't think there's any way we can keep it from them until tomorrow," I said.

"No," he agreed with a chuckle, "I doubt we could. Alice is like a little bloodhound when it comes to things like that. She'd take one look at your face and know."

"At least I was able to sneak into their closets and get the dresses and shoes without them noticing," I said, grinning. "I thought for sure I'd get a phone call last night from Alice, claiming she'd been robbed. If she wasn't pregnant, I think she might've noticed even one pair of shoes missing from the racks and racks she has in there."

Edward shook his head and smiled against my temple as we watched Emmett's Jeep coming up the drive.

"They're here, Mom," he called, leaning back so he didn't shout into my ear. "Come on, love. Let's go see how long it takes my sister—"

"Isabella Marie Swan!" we heard from outside.

We both laughed, shaking our heads as we moved toward the door. Here less than thirty seconds, and she'd already figured it out.

As we stepped outside, Alice threw herself into my arms, squealing. "Bella! Why didn't you tell us?"

Smirking, I asked, "Tell you what, Alice?"

"Give it up, Bells," Emmett boomed, walking up with Jasper and Rose, his arms full of bags. "She figured it out about two minutes into the drive up here."

I sighed and then laughed. "Yes, Alice," I told my soon-to-be sister. "We're getting married tomorrow."

Alice squealed again. "Come on, Bella," she said, dragging me toward the door. "Tell us everything!"

~*~CIBD~*~

Sunday afternoon, there was a distinct buzz in the air throughout the house as everyone took care of last-minute details. I'd showered and shaved when I woke up, smoothing out my legs and underarms in preparation for the ceremony, and Alice and Rose had just finish doing my hair and makeup. We'd kept it simple—my hair was slick and soft, my makeup light and natural. I'd just slipped on my dress and was checking it in the mirror when there was a knock on Esme's bedroom door.

"Knock knock," my dad said. "Bells, can I come in?"

"Yeah, Dad," I answered. "Come in."

When he slipped into the room, he gasped, and I looked up to see his reflection in the floor-length mirror. My normally stoic, non-demonstrative father had his hand over his mouth and tears in his eyes.

"You—You look beautiful, Bella," he said, his voice hoarse. "You look so much like your mother."

I swallowed, turning to face him. "Yeah?" At his nod, I sighed. "I wish she were here."

"Me, too, Bells," he huffed in agreement. Walking toward me, he pulled a small wooden box from his pocket. "I talked to little Alice. She told me you have your something new"—he looked at my ring—"something borrowed"—and up to the jeweled hair clip from Rose—"and something blue."

Cue my blush as I thought about the garter around my left thigh.

"I told her I had your something old, if you wanted it," he mumbled before holding the box out to me.

When I opened the box and saw the beautiful earrings, I felt my own eyes fill with tears. I blinked them back—Alice and Rose would kill me if I ruined my makeup—and lifted one of the dainty earrings from the box.

"I remember these," I said around the lump in my throat.

He nodded. "I gave them to your mother as her wedding gift. I had to save up for months. She, uh, left them for me when she died, with a letter asking me to make sure you had them when you got married. I think she would've liked Edward." He brushed a finger down my cheek and smiled. "He's a good man, Bells. He'll do right by you. And you couldn't ask for a better family."

Without any care or thought to my dress, hair, or makeup, I threw my arms around my father's waist and pressed my cheek to his.

"I already have a great family. Don't ever doubt that," I whispered.

After a moment, he sniffed once and then pulled away, his cheeks damp. "I'll send the girls in to, uh, help get you fixed up," he said, motioning to my own tears.

"Thanks," I said, turning back to the dressing table to grab a tissue.

He was silent as he slipped back out of the room.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

I was fidgeting at the end of the makeshift aisle we'd made in my parents' backyard, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. My dad, who was standing beside me, put his hand on my shoulder.

"You okay, son?" he asked, sounding amused.

Nodding, I said, "Anxious." I hadn't seen Bella since before midnight the night before; Alice, Rose, and my mother had all insisted on tradition, in that Bella and I weren't allowed to see one another on our wedding day until the ceremony.

He squeezed my shoulder once and smiled. "Don't worry. It'll be anytime now."

I looked around the rest of the yard. It had been transformed into a beautiful spring garden wedding, with colorful flowers everywhere. My parents had rented white chairs for the few guests we'd invited last minute—including Ben and Angela from Seattle, Jake, Seth, and a few of the other guys from the reservation, and Sue. Charlie's seat beside her in the front row was empty because he would be walking my Bella down the aisle.

Besides my father, Emmett and Jasper were standing up front with me. We were all wearing khaki pants and white linen shirts, which Alice had objected to until we'd produced ties to match their dresses. She had admitted it would be a pretty wedding for such a casual affair, which was high praise from the fashionista. My own tie was a light pink, to match some of the flowers in Bella's bouquet.

The music changed, and I knew that meant Alice had switched the CD in the stereo, which was hooked up to speakers set up outside. The new melody was a short piece I'd composed to accompany Rose and Alice down the aisle, so I knew what was coming. When the back door opened, I straightened, my eyes glued to the back porch.

Rose came out first, wearing a knee-length, dark green dress. She looked as beautiful as she always did, and the smile she flashed was for Emmett alone. When she was halfway to the front, there was movement, and Alice appeared, dressed in sunshine yellow. She looked almost as excited as she had on her own wedding day.

By the time she'd made it down to me and taken her spot beside Rose, the music was transitioning into the lullaby I'd written for Bella. I shifted on my feet, anxious to see her.

When I thought I was about to go crazy with anticipation, Charlie appeared in the doorway. He stepped out onto the porch and then held his hand out. Within seconds, Bella's hand slid into her father's, and then she stepped into the doorway, coming into view.

She looked absolutely radiant. Her dress was strapless, hugging her breasts like it was made just for her. The dress was tight on the top, emphasizing her slender waist, and then flared from there to her knees. All she was missing was a pair of wings—otherwise, she looked exactly like I imagined an angel to be.

She was looking down at her feet as she stepped over the threshold, but once she had both feet on the deck, she looked up. Her eyes zeroed in on mine, and the smile she gave was nearly blinding. She'd been so nervous the last time we'd spoken that morning, but as soon as she looked into my eyes, I saw no hint of those nerves.

As they began the slow walk down the porch steps, I had to hold myself back from racing down to her and dragging her back up the aisle. I absolutely could not wait for Bella to become my wife.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

"You ready, Bells?" Charlie asked as Alice reached the front. Edward had said the music would change to signal our time to walk.

I smiled and nodded. "More than ready," I answered, gazing out through the curtains into the sunlit backyard. I switched my bouquet to my left hand in preparation. The flowers were a mix of light pink roses and white stephanotis, all tied together with a pretty matching pink ribbon. We'd gotten my bouquet and the ones for Alice and Rose, at a local florist. The flowers spread around the aisle, chairs, and the little staged area for our ceremony had all come from Esme's garden. It had turned out beautifully.

As soon as the melody changed, Charlie opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. When he held his hand out, took a deep breath, slid my hand into his, and stepped into the doorway. I kept my eyes down, not wanting to trip as I stepped down onto the deck. That's when I finally looked up and found the one person I'd been anxious to see since the night before.

_Edward._

His beauty quite literally took my breath away, and I gasped at how handsome he looked. It wasn't the clothes he was wearing—although they did look perfect on him—and it wasn't his hair, which he'd obviously tried to tame...unsuccessfully. It was the awe and reverence, the pure love and devotion, I could see on his face, even from my spot just outside the back door.

Edward had completely captured my attention, and I smiled at him, unable to do anything else as Charlie led me slowly down the short aisle.

When we finally—_finally!_—got to the front, Charlie shook Edward's hand and said something so quietly that I only caught a few words. It sounded like Charlie had told Edward to take care of his little girl. Edward's answer came through loud and clear.

"Always," he murmured, looking down at me and smiling.

Charlie turned to me and brushed a kiss on my cheek before making his way to the empty seat beside Sue in the front row.

Edward took my hand, and we walked a few steps up to where Billy Black was sitting in his wheelchair. We'd debated for days about who we should get to officiate the wedding. One of Emmett's ideas when we'd gone to Alice and Jasper's for dinner was that he could get ordained online and do it, but that thought had scared Edward and terrified me. In actuality, he probably would've done a perfectly fine job, but in the end, I remembered that Billy was legally able to perform weddings—and he routinely did them on the reservation—so I'd called him and asked if he would be willing to perform our ceremony. He'd agreed without hesitation.

"You look beautiful, Isabella," Edward said as we settled into our spots, squeezing my hand gently. "Absolutely stunning."

I smiled in response before turning my attention to Billy.

For a few minutes, we listened as he spoke of love and marriage, even tying in some of the stories and legends of his tribe, before he moved on to the vows.

"Bella and Edward have written their own vows," Billy announced. He looked at me and smiled.

I gave my bouquet to Alice, cleared my throat, and turned to Edward, taking his other hand in mine before speaking.

"I love you, Edward. You are my best friend and will be forever. Today, I give myself to you in marriage to be your wife. I promise to encourage you and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and bad. I promise to cherish and respect you. I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live. Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you, caring, loving, and being there for you in all life has for us. I will always be the person that you can trust, talk to, and the person that will always understand. I will make my home in your heart. These promises I give you today and all of the days of our lives."

By the time I finished speaking, tears were running down my cheeks. Edward reached up with one hand and brushed them away gently with his thumb before taking my hand again.

He gave me a tremulous smile, one full of emotion, before he began to speak. "My Bella..."

The words—our vows—were the same, but I listened carefully, absorbing each word deep in my heart. We'd spent hours working on those vows; hearing them made me realize they were perfect. They captured exactly what we'd wanted for this memorable day.

I was crying openly by the time he finished. Even though we'd written them together, I hadn't heard him say them aloud before now, and I was suddenly happy about that, because hearing them now, in front of our friends and family, made it all the more special.

"Do we have the rings?" Billy asked, looking to Alice and Carlisle, who passed the rings to Edward and me.

We handed the rings to Billy, who closed his hands around them carefully.

"As circles have no beginning and no end," he began, "rings have naturally come to symbolize eternal love within the union of mind, body, and spirit that constitutes the sanctity of marriage. They are freely offered as gifts of faith and hope as visible signs of the promises given this day. May these rings be blessed and hold the dreams Edward and Isabella share for their union. May the unending circle mirror the sacred vows made between them, now and forever.

"Bella, place this ring on Edward's finger and repeat after me."

I took the white gold band I'd picked out for Edward, slid it onto the ring finger of his left hand, and repeated the words Billy murmured quietly to me.

"Take this ring as a sign of my faith and commitment. Our love has given us wings, and our journey begins today."

Once Edward had added my wedding band to my finger and repeated the words to me, Billy smiled.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Edward immediately swooped in and pressed his lips to mine, taking my breath away once again. There were several wolf whistles from Jake, Seth, and the other guys in the audience, which made us chuckle as we pulled apart.

"May I present Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen," Billy said with a laugh. "Congratulations to you both."

We thanked him and then turned to the small crowd, who all stood and clapped as they gathered around us, patting our backs and pulling us into hugs.

Once Emmett had hugged me, he turned to Edward and grabbed him in a big bear hug. When he released him, Emmett turned to Esme and asked, "Food time?"

Everyone laughed at Esme's exasperated expression. "Yes, my bottomless pit. Food time." She gave both Edward and me hugs and then said to the crowd, even as she looked at Emmett, "Bride and groom first, and then you can eat."

~*~CIBD~*~

Three long hours later, Edward took my hand and led me to the stairs.

"Edward? What's going on?" I asked as he pulled me upstairs to his—now our—room.

He simply shook his head and continued walking. The minute the door shut to the bedroom, he pulled me into his arms.

"God, Bella, you are absolutely stunning today, love," he said softly, brushing a kiss across my lips. "You made me the happiest man alive today; you realize that, right?"

I kissed him back and smiled. "I love you," I murmured. "Thank you for today. It was perfect."

He nodded and then flashed me a teasing grin. "What if I told you it was about to get even more perfect?"

I looked at the bed and then back at my new husband with a hopeful look on my face.

Edward laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, love, but we have other plans."

"Plans?" I echoed, wondering what on earth he'd done.

"You didn't think I would let you marry me without planning a honeymoon, did you?"

Actually, it hadn't occurred to me that we would be able to take more time off for a honeymoon, so it was a total shock—although a welcome one!

"What about the stores?" I asked worriedly.

He smiled. "My mom arranged to go back to Port Angeles with the others tomorrow. She's going to stay with Alice and Jasper and will help Sasha and Mrs. Cope with the stores until we return next Saturday."

I was absolutely stunned—I'd had no idea—but I was also growing more and more excited the longer I thought about it.

"Where are we going?" I asked, bouncing with excitement.

Edward just grinned. "Not far. Now, Alice said to tell you everything you'll need to change and get ready for the trip is in the bathroom. Our bags are already in the car, so I'll wait for you downstairs." He leaned down and kissed me again, only this time, it was demanding and heated, full of promises of good things to come. "Hurry, wife. The sooner we leave, the sooner I can make love to the new Mrs. Edward Cullen."

With that, he was gone, closing the door quietly behind him and leaving me stunned in the middle of his bedroom with a huge smile on my face.


	46. Chapter 46

**Bella's POV**

By the time I'd raced through changing my clothes—pulling on the long, flowing skirt and gauzy blouse that Alice had laid out—and washed my face, reapplying only a tinted lip gloss, nearly half an hour had passed. I was more than ready to find out what Edward had planned, so I was hurrying as quickly as I could. Unfortunately, my nerves and excitement made me even more clumsy than normal. I'd tripped getting out of my dress, and then I'd dropped my face cleaner, making a mess on the floor at my feet. The last straw when when I dropped my lip gloss, and I'd spent several minutes trying to find it—until I finally spotted it under the edge of the counter, hidden in the shadows.

"Bella?" Angela called, knocking softly on the bathroom door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, Ang," I said before coating my lips with the gloss.

"Edward is pacing downstairs like his pants are on fi—" She stopped and gaped at me for a minute. "Wow. That outfit looks amazing! Alice sure knows her clothes, doesn't she?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I think I'd be lost without her. I'd have probably worn jeans and a T-shirt if it weren't for her."

"How's it feel to be married?" Angela asked, smiling cheekily.

"I dunno, Ang," I said sarcastically, teasing her. "How _does_ it feel to be married? You're the old pro at this now."

"Oh, you know," she huffed, waving her hand airily. "Same old, same old."

We giggled together as I packed up the gloss into the small makeup bag Alice had set out on the counter, along with a note: _Take me!_

"Can you sit with me for a minute?" Angela asked as I opened the bathroom door.

"Sure," I told her, smiling as I walked to the black leather couch on the far wall. "Edward can wait a little longer." I'd missed my friend, and I knew it would be a while until I saw her again. Edward would understand.

Once we were seated on the sofa, my small bag on the floor beside me, Angela smiled a brilliant smile and said, "I didn't want to say anything until we were sure, and then I didn't want to tell you until after your wedding, but..."

I held my breath, suddenly understanding what she was telling me, but I didn't want to spoil her reveal.

"Ben and I are having a baby," she finally gushed. "I'm pregnant!"

I squealed and threw my arms around her, holding her in a tight hug. "Ang! That's amazing! Congratulations! When did you find out? When are you due?"

She laughed and hugged me back before pulling away and putting her hand on her still-flat stomach. "We found out a few days ago. I'm due right before Christmas."

We talked for another couple of minutes, until Angela looked up at the clock. "Oh! Edward's probably worn a path in the floor by now. Come on. Let's get you downstairs before he comes up and kidnaps you!"

I laughed and grabbed my bag in one hand and Angela's hand in the other, leading her down the stairs.

When we got to the bottom, Ben was there, talking with Edward. They both looked up and smiled.

"Congratulations," I told Ben, pulling him into a hug after handing Edward my bag. "Ang told me about the baby. I'm so happy for you both!"

"Thanks, Bella," he said, smiling widely as I stepped back, sliding my arm around Edward's waist.

Edward looked curious, but said nothing. Angela finally grinned and told him about the pregnancy.

"That's wonderful," he said warmly, reaching out to shake Ben's hand before pulling Angela into a short embrace. He kissed her cheek and said, "Thank you both for coming today. I know it meant the world to Bella, and I was glad to see you both here. We'll have to make plans this summer to get together some, okay? We'll come up to Seattle, or you guys can come down to Port Angeles. I'm sure Alice or Rose wouldn't mind you staying with them, since we don't have any space."

"Thanks, Edward," Angela said, snuggling against Ben's side. "We'll do that."

Just then, Emmett poked his head in the front door. "Come on, love birds. Everyone's waiting!"

We laughed and walked out into the crowd of people waiting for us between the front door and a car I'd never seen before. It was parked in the driveway, already facing away from the house toward the road.

"What's that?" I asked, looking at Edward. "Whose car is that?"

He grinned. "Isn't it beautiful? I rented it especially for this trip. And no, I won't tell you where we're going," he said with a chuckle when I opened my mouth to ask that very question. "It's an Aston Martin Vanquish. I've always wanted one, but they're so expensive. Renting one for this was worth it, though." He nuzzled my neck, murmuring softly into my ear so no one could hear him. "You'll look so sexy on all that leather. I might just have to pull off somewhere secluded and have my way with you."

I shivered, and when he pulled away, his eyes had darkened, almost no hint of green left.

"I told them no bird seed," he said, breaking the spell he had me under as he pointed to the basket filled with the seeds and other food for the birds. "I knew you wouldn't want it in your hair."

I nodded. "Thanks," I huffed. "I was seriously hoping to avoid anything like that."

We walked down to say our goodbyes, hugging everyone in both families and all our friends.

Emmett's loud declaration of, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, little brother!" earned him an elbow in the stomach from Rose.

"Don't pay attention to the dumbass," Rose said, giving me a hug. "Do it all, Bella." She pulled away, laughing at my expression. "It's your honeymoon! Live a little!"

Dazed, I moved from Rose to Alice, who bounced in place before throwing her arms around me. "You'll love it, Bella!" she said excitedly. "I know you will."

"All right, Ms. Psychic." I laughed. "I'm sure I will. Oh, and thank you for the clothes. They're great."

She just smiled and handed me off to Jasper, who gave me a quick hug and made me promise to call him if Edward needed straightening out.

"I think I'll be fine, Jasper, but thanks," I said with a grin.

Finally, we made it to my dad, Sue, and Edward's parents. Those goodbyes were short and sweet, although Charlie and Esme both held on to us for longer than was strictly necessary. Esme was crying—"Happy tears!" she assured us—and Charlie's eyes were suspiciously shiny. I didn't ask him about it, though, knowing he wouldn't want to have his tears pointed out.

After promising to call once we were back in Port Angeles, Edward helped me into the passenger seat, loaded my bag into the back, and then climbed in behind the wheel.

"Ready, love?" he asked, smiling over at me.

At my nod, he started the car and slowly pulled away from our waving families.

"So where are we—"

"Don't even ask, Bella," he said sternly, raising an eyebrow and smirking. "It's a surprise."

I huffed and tried to act upset, but I was so excited and blissfully happy that I couldn't even remotely pull that off. Instead, I just grinned. "We'll see. I bet I could get you to tell me..."

As he turned onto the road, heading north, he smiled and shook his head. "I don't think you can. In fact, I'll take that bet."

"Breakfast in bed?" I asked, loving the idea of having Edward _and_ breakfast in bed at one time.

"Sure. I'll take some of your French toast," he said smugly.

I laughed and shook my head, already plotting to myself on how to get him to tell me. "At least tell me how long it'll take to get wherever we're going."

"All right. I'll tell you that, but that's all you're getting from me," he said firmly. "About three hours."

Three hours? Hmm, plenty of time to break him...

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Edward's POV**

Bella tried almost the entire drive up to Whidbey Island to get to me to tell her where we were going. She'd used every weapon in her arsenal—begging and pleading, pouting, even resorting to that purring sex kitten voice I loved so much. I hadn't let it rattle me—even though I'd come close to spilling, in more ways than one, when her hand caressed me through my jeans. After about two and a half hours, she'd finally quieted, content to rest her hand on my thigh and flip through the radio when a song she didn't like came on.

By her slight change in movement, I could tell she'd thought about asking again when I picked up my phone and dialed. Instead, she closed her mouth and rolled her eyes playfully as I spoke cryptically into the phone.

"Yes, hello. This is Edward Cullen. I'm just letting you know we're about ten miles away."

The woman who'd answered the phone assured me the cabin would be ready for us.

I thanked her and hung up, grinning at Bella when she glared at my lack of information.

When I pulled the car up in front of the large log "cabin" that would be our home for the next week, Bella spoke her first words in nearly half an hour.

"It's perfect."

I turned to look at her and beamed at her expression. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open. When she looked over at me, there were tears in her eyes.

"Happy tears?" I asked, just to be certain.

She laughed and nodded, leaning over to kiss me softly.

"Stay right there," I murmured, pulling away and opening my door.

I raced around to the other side of the car and opened Bella's door, holding my hand out for her. She placed her hand daintily in mine and stepped out. Once she was clear, I shut her door and then scooped her into my arms, making her squeal.

"Edward! Put me down." She giggled as I held her tighter, rather than loosening my grip.

I walked carefully up the path to the door, holding her bridal-style. Both of us were looking around—at the accommodations and the beautiful scenery.

The outside of the structure was like an oversized, luxurious log cabin. It was surrounded by trees, giving the whole thing a feeling of being completely private—which, the owners had assured me, was actually the case. There were other cabins, as well as a main house with a swimming pool and other amenities, but from where we were, you couldn't see any of that. We were in our own little world.

When we got up to the porch and to the arched wooden doorway, I realized I should've thought it out better. The key to the cabin was in my pocket, and both my hands were busy.

"Mrs. Cullen," I purred, grinning when the beautiful woman in my arms beamed at my choice of names. "Reach into my pocket and get the key?"

Bella laughed and wiggled until she was able to slide one of her arms between our bodies. After lots of teasing fumbling, she finally gripped the simple key the owners had sent me when I'd called to make the reservation. She produced it with a flourish and a happy smile, stretching in my arms to unlock the door.

"This would be easier if you put me down," she admonished with a laugh, shaking her head as the key missed the keyhole for the second time.

"And miss the chance to carry my bride over the threshold?" I asked, teasing, yet holding her even more firmly.

"It's not even our house!" she said with a smirk.

"Then I'll just have to do it again when we get home," I told her matter-of-factly.

She grinned and leaned back up to give me another kiss once the door was unlocked and she'd turned the knob.

I pushed the door open gently with my foot, stepping inside the oversized living room before using my foot again to close the door behind us. After setting Bella on her feet, I took her hand and led her farther into cabin.

There was a huge stone fireplace, small fire already going, along a two-story wall of windows. Everything—from the walls and ceiling, to the columns, to the rocking chairs that looked like they were made a century before—was made of gorgeous wood. The entry itself had a stone floor, but the rest of the living room was carpeted in a neutral tone. There was a small, open kitchen straight ahead, with a small dining table behind the sofa. On the other side of the kitchen, I could see a small breakfast nook, with a table surrounded by large windows, making it seem like you were sitting outdoors.

To our left, I pointed out a set of stairs. "Those lead up to the loft, which includes a king-sized bed, jacuzzi, and the main bathroom." I knew it featured a cast iron, clawfoot tub, but I would surprise Bella with that later. The loft overlooked the living room and dining table, as well as looked out through the floor to ceiling windows.

"Come," I told Bella, leading her through the living room. On the far side of the fireplace, a door led outside.

Bella gasped as we stepped out onto the large deck, which was slightly larger than the one at my parents' house. There was a covered table—made out of wood, of course—with benches, two wooden deck chairs, and some greenery, and the view out over the small lake was gorgeous.

"Stay here, love. Enjoy the view while I bring in our bags," I murmured as I brushed her hair away from her neck so I could place a kiss to her soft skin.

"Mkay," she said, smiling at me before turning back to look out over the water.

By the time I came back, Bella was settled in one of the chairs, her head back and eyes closed. She must've heard me, because she opened her eyes and smiled.

I bent down and pulled her into my arms, settling into the seat with Bella sideways on my lap.

"Tired?" I wrapped my arms around her as she got comfortable.

"No," she answered, leaning her head against my shoulder. "Just relaxing after the long day."

I nodded, feeling the day's worries and tension melt away.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

When I wiggled a few minutes later to get a little more comfortable, I felt Edward's body react underneath me. We hadn't made love in over four days, due to wedding preparations and my monthly cycle, and apparently, Edward had been missing it just as much as I was.

I wiggled again, stifling a giggle when he groaned softly.

Suddenly, Edward lifted me off his lap and set me on my feet. "Come on, love," he said, taking my hand and pulling me toward the door.

We walked to the bottom of the stairs together, and then Edward nudged me ahead of him with a hand at the small of my back. The farther up the stairs we got, the more my jaw dropped. There was stained glass in some of the windows—and there were windows everywhere, including the ceiling! When we stepped out into the loft, I saw a plush couch, a desk and, in the corner near the railing looking out over the living room, a jacuzzi.

Edward must have seen my delight, because he wrapped an arm around me and said, "Tomorrow, love."

He led me around the corner, and at the other end of the room, I saw a huge bed, draped in pretty and soft-looking bedding. Sitting on the floor was a suitcase large enough to hold clothes for the pair of us, and on the bed, Edward's small travel bag was beside the one I'd gotten from the bathroom before we'd left.

"Do you need a moment?" he asked, gesturing to the closed door, which I assumed was the bathroom.

Nodding, I gave him a kiss and grabbed my bag, smiling to myself at what I knew was waiting for me in a neat little bundle inside.

The bathroom was absolutely beautiful. It was the same wood walls and ceiling as the rest of the cabin, styled with simple, yet luxurious furnishings, including a deep, white, cast iron, clawfoot tub, right out of a girl's most decadent fantasies. There was a toilet, separated from the single sink and tub by a decorated wooden divider. Looking closer, I noticed a shower head and a curtain on a metal rod that went all the way around the tub.

Besides the decadent tub, the one thing that captured my attention was the bright, colorful stained glass window on the wall nearest the bathtub. It was huge—easily four feet tall by three feet wide—and filled with shades of orange, red, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The light from outside shined through the colored glass, casting beautiful reflections through the entire bathroom.

I set my bag on the small counter and undressed, quickly taking care of what I needed to, before washing my hands and face, cleaning off the makeup, and running a comb through my hair, letting it fall straight and soft at my shoulders.

I slipped on the deep marine blue panties, gown, and robe I'd bought just for our wedding night. The gown had spaghetti straps and a plunging black lace neckline, which emphasized my breasts, and it hung to mid-thigh, falling just over the garter I was still wearing. The robe itself was slightly longer, a solid blue, with a sash to tie it closed. They were both silky soft, yet made out of the best fabric, so the loose bundle they'd been tied into hadn't wrinkled them much at all. The panties matched perfectly—the blue, as well as the black lace around the legs and waist. They were cheeky panties, so they were sexy, showing off some of my best assets, but not trashy-looking.

Once I was dressed and had taken a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped out. Edward had been busy while I was in the bathroom. The sun had set, leaving the cabin in a dim light from downstairs. Edward had lit candles all over the room, so the loft area was glowing beautifully. They must have been scented, too, because the bedroom smelled of jasmine and vanilla. Music was playing over some hidden speakers—something absolutely beautiful and romantic in Italian. I recognized it as the group _Il Volo_, which Edward had mentioned to me on the way up to the cabin from Forks.

When my eyes landed on Edward, I felt my heart sputter before it started beating normally—albeit a bit faster than before. He'd stripped down to his jeans and looked absolutely sexy as sin, standing there in his bare feet, all his muscles on display in the dim light of the bedroom. His hair looked as messy as always, like he'd been running his hand through it, tugging at the bronze locks.

His eyes widened when he saw me, and he began walking toward me, his eyes on mine the whole way.

"_Una visione in blu_," he murmured.

I knew enough Italian at that point to know he'd called me a vision in blue. My cheeks warmed as I smiled at the compliment.

When he reached me, he brushed my cheek with the back of his hand before cupping the back of my neck and drawing me against him, lowering his head to mine.

I felt the hard lines of his body pressed against mine and the muscles of his arms as I gripped his biceps, holding him to me, not willing to move apart yet.

The kiss was soft, tender, light brushes of his lips across mine. Even those made my body warm with desire, and when I felt his erection press against me through both layers of clothes, my arousal spiked and my insides clenched with need.

I tried pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, but he resisted, kissing me once more before pulling away.

We were both breathing a bit heavier, and when I looked up into Edward's eyes, the heat I saw there nearly took my breath away completely.

"May I?" he asked, running a finger along the neckline of my robe.

Nodding mutely, I closed my eyes as he trailed his fingers lightly down my body until he reached the tie at my waist. As he loosened the knot, my nails scratched lightly up and down his skin. I could see the effect I was having on his body; if the growing tent in his boxers was any indication, he was enjoying my touch.

"Gorgeous," he breathed once my robe had parted to reveal my gown. "Is this new?"

I opened my eyes and nodded, feeling my entire body tighten at the heat I saw in his eyes as they raked over my body. He stepped back, and I let my arms fall, dropping the robe to the floor. When he moved back up to me and lightly gathered the fabric of my gown at my hips, I closed my eyes again, every nerve ending in my body seeming to fire at once. I could feel everything about his touch, hear every breath we took, and smell the candles, the woods surrounding the cabin, and the unique scent that was just simply Edward.

I kept my eyes closed as I felt the slinky fabric of my gown brush my skin as he dragged it up my body. Once I raised my arms, it caught my hair as he pulled it over my head, and then I felt the slight movement of the air as he dropped it to the floor. He was quiet for so long that I finally opened my eyes, only to find him staring at my thigh.

_Oh, the garter..._

I'd found the garter on the same trip to find the new gown and robe. It was almost the exact same shade of blue, with a tiny bow in a slightly deeper blue on the side.

"Were you wearing this the whole time?" he asked in a near-strangled voice.

I swallowed the smirk at his reaction and answered, "Through the whole ceremony and car ride here."

He groaned and dropped to his knees in front of me, his hands circling my ankles and then sliding up the back of my calves to my thighs. He traced the garter with a single finger before leaning forward and kissing the tender skin of my inner thigh right above it. Then, without removing his lips from my skin, he slid the garter down my leg, his other hand holding me steady as I lifted my foot.

When he moved from my thigh to my center, pressing a kiss to the satin and lace covering me, I whimpered and tangled my fingers in his hair, tugging lightly. Every nerve ending in my body was alive and screaming for attention as he placed long, sucking kisses through my panties, nibbling at me through the fabric.

I held my breath as he slowly lowered the barrier over the curve of my ass, past my hips, and dropped it to the floor at my feet, hoping to feel those same kisses to my now-uncovered body; instead, he stood, leaning in to press a kiss to my chest, over my heart, and then up to my lips before scooping me into his arms and depositing me gently on the bed.

Edward continued watching me as he moved away from the bed and pulled off his boxers, baring his erection to my eager gaze. I started to get up, to move toward him, wanting to taste him, but he stopped me with a shake of his head.

"My turn, love," he murmured. His eyes dropped to the apex of my thighs, and his tongue darted out, tracing his lips as my legs parted almost involuntarily.

He stepped forward, sliding his hands up my legs, from my feet to my knees, where he grasped the blanket and tugged gently, pulling it—and me—to the edge of the bed. I squeaked in surprise, but when he dropped to his knees in front of me, my breath caught, and all noise died quickly away.

Edward slid his arms under my legs, letting them rest over his biceps, as his hands hooked my thighs, fingers splayed oh-so-close to where I wanted them. With a gentle kiss on my inner thigh, he finally looked up at me. "I've been thinking of this for days, Mrs. Cullen," he purred. "I can't wait another minute to taste you." And with that, he lowered his head and finally—_finally!_—pressed his lips to my slit.

I could barely think, barely move. _Fuck_, I'd missed the feeling of his mouth on me! As he licked, sucked, and nibbled at my sensitive skin, I watched and felt. With every touch, my arousal spiked higher and higher, but it wasn't enough.

"Edward," I half-growled, half-whined, propping myself up on my elbows so I could see him better.

"Hmm?" he hummed with a smirk. "Is this what you want?" he asked, tracing my lips with the tip of his finger.

I shook my head. "More," I begged, fisting the blanket underneath me.

I jerked my hips as his finger grazed my clit before moving down and dipping into my opening for only a moment.

"Is _that_ it?" he asked again, laughing when I just shook my head. His laughter faded, and he licked his lips once more before saying, "Hmm, what about this?"

He dipped his head back down.

My hands shot to his hair, gripping it gently, and I moaned—loudly—as he darted his tongue out and traced a circle around my clit before drawing it into his mouth. My hips jerked up, needing and silently begging for more of _that_.

When Edward slid my legs farther up until they were resting over his shoulders, I let my eyes drift closed. For long minutes, I felt and heard nothing but Edward. He slid two fingers inside me as his lips closed around my clit, sucking gently.

Teeth scraped gently over my sensitive, throbbing bundle of nerves, a third finger was added as he pressed the special spot inside me, and I shattered, crying out his name as I came. Edward continued stroking me, slowing as I rode out my orgasm, until I finally quit shaking.

Once he sat back, I scooted until my head hit the pillows. He climbed up on the bed with me then, and I watched his cock bob as he moved. As much as I wanted to taste him still, I knew I'd get my chance later, but for now, I needed him inside me. I needed to feel like I didn't know where I ended and he began.

Reaching for him, I pulled him over me, wrapping my legs around the backs of his thighs and curling my fingers in his hair at the base of his neck.

"Make love to me, husband," I said, my voice husky with need.

His grin could have lit a city block. "With pleasure, wife," he murmured before lining up and sliding home all in one long, slow thrust.

There was a delicious, aching fullness when he was finally inside me. Before I could get used to it, he pulled almost all the way out, thrusting in completely seconds later. I cried out his name as he hit just the right spot, over and over again, his pubic bone rubbing against my already-sensitive clit.

When he dipped his head to mine, I raised mine and met him halfway for a kiss, biting his lower lip playfully and drawing a growl and a particularly hard thrust from him.

"Not going to last long," he huffed. "You're too sexy, and it's been too long." His eyes glittered darkly as he continued, "Touch yourself, Isabella." The commanding tone to his voice along nearly set me off, and I didn't hesitate to obey.

I slipped my hand between our bodies—slick with sweat—and brushed against the spot where we were joined. When my fingers grazed his cock, his movements faltered. He sat back on his knees, hooking his arms under mine and holding me open, even as his thrusts picked up speed.

"Again," he growled, watching my hand and his cock sliding in and out of my body.

This time, my finger circled my clit, and my hips jerked as I passed directly over it. Once, twice, three times, and I was flying again, coming hard around his cock.

"Fuck, Edward!" I cried as he slammed into me. "Yes!"

He lost his perfect rhythm as he began to come, grasping my hips roughly in his hands as he cried out, until finally, he collapsed above me, the heavy weight of his body blanketing mine.

When he finally rolled us both over so I was lying on him instead, our breathing had finally quieted. We were both slick with sweat, and I knew I might have bruises on my hips in the morning, but I'd never felt more incredible.

"Come on, love," he murmured after a few minutes of lying there in the dying candlelight. "Why don't we christen that huge clawfoot tub?"

Visions of the two of us soaking in the tub together filled my head, and I smiled down at him, nodding. "Sounds good," I said, rolling off him so we could both climb out of bed.

"I'll be right back," he murmured, kissing me softly, before heading toward the stairs.

Nodding, I watched him walk away—captivated by the muscles in his firm backside flexing with each step—before I moved to turn on the small light by the bed so I could blow out all the candles.

~*~CIBD~*~

Twenty minutes later, Edward and I were in the bathtub together, surrounded by the steaming water that smelled of jasmine and vanilla. He'd walked back into the room as I was filling the tub, his hands full—strawberries and glasses in one hand, bath salts in the other, and a bottle of champagne tucked under his arm. While I'd added the salts, Edward had poured the champagne, and now, we were sipping that and feeding one another the strawberries as we talked about the rest of our honeymoon.

"I haven't really planned much," Edward explained from behind me. His legs were hugging the outside of mine, and the hand not holding his glass was cupped around my breast, just under the water. "Meerkerk Gardens isn't far from here. I thought we'd go walking through there. It's supposed to be pretty," he said, squeezing my nipple gently, as though we weren't just sitting there talking about plans for the week.

I leaned my head back and sighed, feeling my insides heat as I tried to form a coherent thought. "S-Sounds good," I said. "What about Victoria?" I asked, but I quickly shook my head. "Never mind. Don't have our passports."

Edward chuckled. "Yes, we do," he admitted. "I made sure to pack them. I thought you'd enjoy having that option open."

"I've never been," I said, smiling back at him over my shoulder. "I know they have some fun places, though."

"They do," he agreed. "There's an Undersea Gardens, Miniature World, which I promised Emmett I'd talk to you about visiting." He rolled his eyes and smirked. "I'm not sure he understands what it is, but I think you might enjoy it."

"It all sounds great," I promised, fumbling with my glass when his hand dipped below the water and stroked my lower belly.

Edward set his glass down on the shelf to the side of the tub and then took mine from me and added it with his before cupping my breast and moving his other hand down even farther, curling his fingers inside me, stroking me.

As my mind drifted to nothing but the feel of him, I knew one thing was for certain:

Whether we went to Canada, stayed here at Whidbey Island, or went home tomorrow, I would follow Edward anywhere. Life, fate—whatever you wanted to call it—had led me to Port Angeles, to the store beside his, and to him. He was my life, my husband.

_My destiny._


	47. Chapter 47 – Epilogue

**Two and a Half Years Later  
Edward's POV**

"Is that the last of them?" Bella asked, dusting her hands off on her jeans as I set the box in the garage.

"That's it," I answered, hitting the button to close the door on my way out.

Once back at the truck, I pulled the door down and smacked the side, nodding to Emmett, who was watching me out the side mirror. He started the U-Haul up and immediately pulled away, sounding the horn once as a goodbye. I turned back and pulled Bella to my side as I stared up at our new place.

Bella and I had begun talking houses after we got married, but nothing had caught our eye for a long time. Then a plot of land on the edge of town became available, and after lots of discussion and worry, we'd bought it, deciding to build our own house. It was in a new "neighborhood," but we were about half a mile from the nearest neighbor, so we had a lot of privacy, which we both had wanted.

The house wasn't huge—we'd decided on four bedrooms and three full baths—but it was exactly the way we wanted it. The kitchen flowed into the open living room, and those were the biggest areas of the house. Our master bedroom was stunning, with high ceilings, crown molding, an en suite bathroom, and a huge walk-in closet, and we'd fenced in a backyard so we could get a dog if we decided we wanted one. To our amusement, one of the biggest disagreements we'd had was over the way we wanted the outside of the house to look.

~*~CIBD~*~

"_White is so...boring!" Bella said, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms over her chest._

"_It's clean, not boring," I said, adopting the same pose._

_I was worried she was going to want something I would hate. She always seemed to love it when we saw houses with bright colors, like pink or yellow. We'd even seen a bright green one she'd found fascinating one time._

"_I want some color, Edward," she argued firmly._

"_The trim would be a nice color, so it wouldn't be all white," I told her, trying to explain._

~*~CIBD~*~

We'd bantered back and forth for weeks before finally settling on the grayish blue for the main color, with white trim and a red door that stood out in stark contrast to the rest. It made a beautiful picture, and once again, I was glad I'd trusted her when she'd asked me to.

Bella's sigh beside me pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked over to see a joyful, happy expression on her face as she, too, looked up at the house.

"That's _our_ house," she said, her eyes raking over every inch of the two-story structure.

I grinned at her obvious happiness and then scooped her into my arms. "C'mon, love," I murmured into her neck as I walked. "We have a while before everyone invades our new space. Let's take advantage of the privacy while we can."

Wrapping her arms loosely around my neck as I walked us to the front door, Bella nuzzled my neck with her nose. "Yes, please," she breathed, giggling when I began moving faster to the door.

~*~CIBD~*~

**One and a Half Years Later**

"Unca Eddie!" Lilly cried when she saw me. As soon as Jasper put her down, she raced up the path to me, throwing her arms around my knees.

I swung her into my arms and tickled her belly, narrowly avoiding getting kicked in the wrong spot as she laughed and giggled. "How are you, Lilly girl?"

Jasper and Alice's three-and-a-half-year-old daughter was a miniature version of my sister—from the hyper personality, to the small stature, to the insane love of pretty clothes. She was also her daddy's darling, and that was obvious when I looked up at Jasper and saw him grinning at her.

"I had a sucka!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. "Don't tell Mommy. It's a secret! Where's Aunt Bella?" Her Ls and Rs came out as Ws, making her even more adorable.

My eyes shot to my sister, who was hiding her smirk behind her hand.

"Aunt Bella's inside, sweetie. She's not feeling well right now, so she's resting," I explained to my niece. "She'll wanna see you, though. Do you think you can go find her?"

Lilly nodded and squirmed to get down. "I'll make her feel better!"

She ran off as soon as I put her down, screaming for Bella as soon as she got inside.

"How's it going, man?" Jasper asked when he and Alice reached me.

"Hey, guys," I said, clapping Jasper's shoulder and hugging my sister. "How are you feeling, Ali?"

She shrugged and grimaced. "I'm gonna go find Bella," she said before hurrying up the front steps.

Jasper and I followed behind her, talking about the previous night's game. We walked into the kitchen to put away the potato salad Jasper had brought for dinner.

"Want a beer?" I asked, pulling out a bottle from one of the two six-packs inside and offering it to him. He took it with a smile and popped the cap as I grabbed one for myself. "Have you talked to Emmett today?"

"Yeah, they should be here anytime," Jasper answered, following me back into the living room.

"How're they doin'?" I asked as we settled onto the big sofa. "It's been a few days since I talked to him."

"Okay," he said with a shrug. "They had a good week."

It was always tricky when when older kids were adopted. At six and eight, Tommy and Jordan were old enough to understand Emmett and Rose weren't their birth parents, but they were young enough that they were adapting well.

"Well, it's only been a couple of months," I said. "Hopefully things will continue to get better. The last time I talked to Em, he said it was already better than it was at first. The kids aren't having nightmares anymore, which is a definite improvement."

We caught up while we waited for the others. I told him I'd heard from my mom, and she and my dad would be home in about six weeks. They'd only been gone about six months this time, but it would still be great to see them. They had yet to meet Tommy and Jordan, who'd been a surprise for everyone but Emmett and Rose.

"Hey," Bella said a few minutes later as she and Alice came walking into the living room. "Hi, Jazz." She slid onto my lap and smiled over at him. "Lilly's playing dress-up and said to tell you not to interrupt her until Jordan gets here."

We both laughed at that. Lilly had taken an instant liking to Jordan—and in turn, the older girl had embraced her new cousin, as well. Jordan didn't mind when Lilly wanted to do everything exactly like her, claiming it was good to have a girl around, instead of just her brother.

Moments later, we heard the beep of the minivan as Emmett pulled into the driveway, signaling that the rest of the family had arrived.

Once everyone piled out of the vehicle, they walked to the front door and waited until Jasper got up and let them in. After all the hellos, Rose gave Bella and Alice a look and pulled them with her out of the room, already whispering to each other.

"What was that about?" Emmett asked, walking back in from the kitchen with his own beer.

I shrugged. "Who knows. They've all been acting weird for a couple of days."

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

"Did you get them?" I asked as Rose, Alice, and I walked into my bedroom.

Rose shut the door behind her and then pulled a small plastic bag out of her purse. "Enough for both of you," she said, handing the bag to Alice.

"You wanna go first?" Alice asked me, holding out the bag. I shook my head, so she smiled and walked into the en suite bathroom.

Two minutes later, she walked out, carrying a little white stick.

I smiled nervously and made my way into the bathroom. The box with the unused pregnancy tests sat on the counter beside the toilet. I quickly unwrapped one, followed the instructions, and then set it aside to wash my hands. As soon as my hands were dry, I picked up the test and went back out into the bedroom.

Rose and Alice were sitting on my bed, looking nervous and excited.

"Have you looked?" I asked Alice as I settled on the mattress across from them.

She shook her head. "No, I wanted to wait for you."

I smiled and then stared at the clock on my bedside table, willing the minutes to change faster.

I'd been on pins and needles for a week, waiting for this moment. When I first mentioned to Alice that I thought I might be pregnant, she squealed and said she thought she might be, too. Rose had convinced us to wait until we were all together to take the tests, and today was the first day we'd all had a chance to get together. Neither Edward nor Jasper had figured out what we both suspected. Rose, Emmett, and their kids had been sick a couple of weeks ago, so everyone besides the three of us just thought we'd picked up their stomach bug.

Three minutes later, Rose said, "It's time!" She motioned to the tests Alice and I were holding.

I looked at Alice, and together, we turned them over so we could see the little windows.

_Pregnant_

When Alice turned hers around to show me the _Pregnant_ on hers as well, I threw myself at her, feeling the tears I'd been holding in for a week finally spill down my cheeks. Rose enveloped us both in a hug, sniffling her own tears as Alice and I both cried.

After we'd finally settled down, Rose laughed and wiped her face with her hands. "Now comes the fun part," she said, looking at us.

Alice and I looked at her, neither of us having any idea what she was talking about.

"Telling the daddies, of course!"

"Over dinner?" I asked Alice, who nodded. "Can you wait that long without spilling the beans?"

She pretended to look offended. "Of course! I've waited a week, haven't I?"

We were still giggling and laughing when we walked into the living room a few minutes later. The guys all tried asking us what was going on, but we just shrugged and said, "Girl stuff."

That shut them up pretty quickly.

~*~CIBD~*~

A few hours later, when everyone was gathered around the table, Rose cleared her throat and looked at me.

I grinned and turned to look at Edward. "You know the flu I've had?"

He nodded.

"It's not the flu."

"It's not?" he asked, looking from me, to Rose, and back again.

I shook my head.

"Neither is mine," Alice piped up, looking at her husband.

"Are you trying to tell us you're having a baby, darlin'?" Jasper drawled, a big grin spreading across his face as he watched Alice, who nodded enthusiastically.

Edward just gaped at me. He opened his mouth, like he was going to say something, but then closed it and blinked. Then he did it again, making me giggle.

"Yes," I said, answering his unasked question. "You're gonna be a daddy."

Edward was out of his seat before I blink, on his knees in front of me and gazing at my obviously still flat stomach through my T-shirt.

"A baby?" he breathed, an earsplitting grin erupting on his face as I nodded, giggling. "A baby!"

~*~CIBD~*~

**Four Years Later**

As I looked around the backyard at all our friends and family—including both sets of parents, siblings and their families, as well as Angela, Ben, and their two little boys—here to celebrate our twins' second birthday, I realized my life was pretty close to perfect. I had a husband who loved me to distraction, a son who was every bit his father, two little girls who were the perfect combination of the two of us, and a new little life growing inside me. Our businesses were both successful and thriving, and owning our own stores meant our kids could go to work with us. It was nothing short of amazing.

Ten years ago, I was lost, unsure of what I truly wanted from life. A lot had changed in that decade, but as I looked around at everyone, I realized I'd ended up exactly where I wanted to be.

My mother always used to love to spout off quotes she'd read. One, which I would never forget, was from a politician from the late nineteenth century, named William Jennings Bryan. He said, "Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." Thanks to my mother, I'd had the opportunity to make the choices I had, which had led me to Edward and the rest of the people surrounding me.

_Yep,_ I thought, smiling over at my husband, who was on his hands and knees, giving all the kids "horsey" rides. _Pretty damn close to perfect._ I guess Destiny really _did_ know what she was doing.


	48. Outtake 1 – Getting Back to Normal

**Outtake 1: Getting Back to Normal  
Bella's POV**

I'd been living with with Edward for two weeks, and he'd been extra patient with me. The first four or five days after learning of Laurent's arrest and James's role in the whole thing, I'd been a mess. I hadn't been afraid to have Edward touch me, but I hadn't felt like making love, either. I'd felt dirty, used...and just completely nonsexual. How did I feel now, after the dust had settled and things had started making sense again, after my fears had been alleviated?

I wanted him.

I wanted to feel his hands on me, feel his body on—in—mine, to know he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. He was treating me like spun glass, with kid gloves, and I wanted...

~*~CIBD~*~

"_More," I complained, peering over the rim of my coffee cup at Alice and Rose. "I miss the connection we have when we make love."_

_I sighed, staring down at Rose's table. I'd called them the night before and asked if we could meet for coffee at Rose's place while the guys played basketball at the gym._

"_As much as thinking about my brother that way disgusts me," Alice said with a grimace, "I get what you're saying."_

_Rose nodded. "He doesn't wanna make you uncomfortable," she added. "He doesn't think you're ready for that step, after what happened on Thanksgiving." When I looked over at her with a raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "He mentioned it the other day to Emmett, who asked me last night how you were doing. He was worried."_

"_Jasper, too," Alice agreed._

_I smiled at that. I'd come to think of Emmett and Jasper both as my big brothers, and knowing they worried about me made me feel warm inside._

"_I'm okay," I finally answered. "Yeah, I was creeped out for a few days, but really, after taking some time, I realized I was stronger than that. Edward makes me feel loved and cherished, and with him, I don't feel dirty. I'm ready to show him that. I just don't know how."_

_Alice and Rose looked at me, at each other, and then back at me with big grins on their faces._

"_What?" I asked, laughing at their identical expressions of glee._

_With one voice, they both cried, "Shopping!"_

~*~CIBD~*~

We'd spent the morning out, and I'd not only replaced all the clothes I'd lost from Laurent's attack—even after Alice's Black Friday shopping spree, I'd needed more—but I'd nearly bought out the local lingerie departments. We'd also been pampered at the spa; we'd gone all out with waxing, massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures. Now, I was back at home, ready for Edward to get home from hanging out with the guys. He'd called a few minutes before and said he was dropping off Emmett and Jasper and then he'd be home. I made sure everything was set and then settled down to wait.

When I heard his key in the door, I put my book aside and stood. Edward walked in, looking down, and once he'd closed the door, I cleared my throat. He looked up, and when he saw me, his gym bag dropped to the floor. I saw the muscles in his throat work as he swallowed hard. His tongue darted out to trace his lips, and his hand immediately went to his hair, raking his fingers through it, making it even more disheveled than it already was.

"Bella," he breathed. He was as still as a statue until I crooked my finger to him, motioning that he should join me near the couch.

As he approached, his eyes moved from my face, down my body, pausing at my breasts, which were barely contained by the few buttons I'd bothered to close on his crisp white dress shirt. He paused again at my hips, where the shirt split, revealing the new pair of sheer black panties I was wearing. Finally, he continued down my legs until he reached my bare feet, with their newly painted pink toenails.

When he looked back up at my face, his eyes were hooded, and if I didn't know better, I'd say they were nearly black with lust.

I leaned up and brushed back the hair that had fallen across his forehead before pressing my lips to his. It was a light, teasing kiss, full of promise and every bit of love I could pour into it.

"Take your clothes off and sit," I murmured against his lips before giving him one more kiss and then moving across the room.

I heard rustling in the background as he hurriedly undressed and then a soft thump when he fell back onto the cushions of the couch. I smirked to myself at his impatience and continued to the stereo in the corner. Once I'd turned on the CD I'd put in earlier, I waited until the music began playing softly before turning back.

Edward was reclined on the sofa, one arm stretched wide across the back. His other hand was already wrapped around his erection, which, even from my position on the other side of the room, was impressive. He apparently noticed where my eyes had landed, because he gave his cock a squeeze, swiping the head with a long, tapered finger, catching the pearl of pre-cum already beading at the tip.

Unconsciously, I moaned, feeling my body flush with heat from my arousal.

_Focus, Bella!_ I mentally berated myself. There would be plenty of time to admire him after I'd finished my plans.

Staying far enough away from him that he couldn't touch me, I said, "I want you to know how much it has meant the last two weeks, having your love and support."

Starting from the bottom, I slowly undid the first two buttons.

"I've been missing you," I continued, gently swaying my hips to the music.

I trailed my hands up my sides, dragging the bottom of the shirt up to my waist, and let it fall back to my hips as my hands moved to my hair. I kept moving to the soft, jazzy piano and trumpet music in the background, my eyes glued to Edward as he stroked his cock.

I turned around, peeking over my shoulder at Edward as I quickly undid the remaining buttons and dropped the shirt to the floor.

His eyes widened as I turned around to face him, wearing nothing but the little black thong. It had a lacy ruffled peek a boo overlay around the top, and barely there mesh front covering my pussy.

"Back up," he murmured in a husky voice.

I looked over my shoulder and had to hold in my giggle as I realized what was behind me. Taking two steps back, my bottom came to a stop against the keys of his upright piano, which was all he had room for up here in his apartment. Leaning back, I rested my hands on the keys, making a discordant sound. I could feel the edges of the thong hugging my lips, the fabric slipping between my folds as I moved, showing everything.

My gaze dropped once again to his cock as he began fisting it harder.

"Fuck," he breathed. "That's so hot."

"You like?" I asked, moving one hand down to trace the edge of the panties.

He was quiet for a moment and then nodded before saying, "Come here, Isabella."

A shiver moved through me at the use of my full name, something Edward only did when he was turned on nearly beyond words. I walked silently over to him, stopping between his legs when his hands came up to rest on my hips.

"So beautiful," he murmured before leaning forward and placing a kiss between my belly button and the top of the panties. He ran a finger lightly over the fabric covering me. "But these need to go."

He hooked two fingers into the sides of my thong and gently slid it down over the curve of my bottom and down my legs. Keeping myself steady with my hands on his arms, I stepped out of them and gasped when he drew them to his nose, taking a deep breath in, inhaling the scent of my arousal, which I knew, from the wetness coating my inner thighs, had soaked the thin fabric.

Dropping my panties to the floor, he leaned forward again, resting his forehead against my stomach, taking deep, quiet breaths.

"Are you ready to experiment, love?" he asked quietly, his voice deep and still husky with desire.

Was I? Looking at the almost hungry expression on his face, I decided I would do anything he asked of me.

Swallowing hard, I answered, "What'd you have in mind?" My voice was shaky, but thick with my own need.

The smile he gave me could have lit up the entire city of Port Angeles, and the heat in his eyes warmed my whole body. With his hands on my hips, he gently turned me to face away from him, placing kisses on my lower back, in the twin dimples right above my cheeks. The feel of his five o'clock shadow on my tender skin sent shivers through my body, and just the thought of what he intended made my nipples harden in anticipation.

"Take a step back and straddle my thighs. One knee on either side of me on the cushions," he instructed softly, sliding his hands down to my thighs and back to my hips in a gentle, hypnotic pattern.

My heart caught in my throat as I eased first one leg, and then the other, over his lean thighs. When I was comfortably in place, he spread his knees just slightly, the pressure moving my thighs apart. With one hand, he held me steady, and he used his other to aim his cock as I lowered myself over him.

We both groaned as he slid into me fully until I was resting on my calves.

"Okay?" he grunted, sounding almost in pain.

I leaned back against his chest, turning my head to kiss his jaw. "It's good," I said against his skin. "Okay for you?"

"Fuck," he hissed, thrusting up slightly and moving inside me another perfect inch. "It's so much better than good."

Edward slid one hand from my hip to my breast, cupping me, as we began to move together. Turning his head farther, he captured my lips with his, kissing me hungrily.

The way he had me positioned opened me to him, and he slid his other hand from my hip to the place we were joined. His finger circled my engorged clit as his other hand began plucking at my nipple.

When he swiped the pad of his long finger across my clit, I broke away from his kiss and let out a keening cry, trembling above him.

"Come for me, love," he murmured into my ear before taking my earlobe into his mouth and biting gently.

One small pinch to my clit, and I stiffened, crying his name as I flew over the edge of my orgasm.

Without giving me time to come down from the high I was riding, Edward moved his hands to my hips and lifted me off him. Before I could protest, his hand was in my hair and I was pressed up against him as he gave me a bruising, passionate kiss.

Finally, we broke apart to breathe.

"Brace yourself," he said, turning me to face the couch as he moved behind me.

As soon as my hands were down on the cushions where we'd just been sitting, I felt him at my entrance. When he slid into me, I jolted forward, my hair falling around my face. I bit my lower lip, curling my fingers into fists before fanning them back out and gripping the fabric of the cushions.

He felt so full, so thick and deep inside me, far more than when I was straddling him. Each heavy penetration felt like he was stroking more than my core. He was stroking deep into my very soul.

After several long minutes of the same slow, steady pace, I wanted more. Steadying myself, I clenched my inner muscles, keeping him from easily withdrawing.

He hissed and removed his hand from my hip, swiftly bringing it down in a stinging smack on my ass.

"Ow!" I cried. It hadn't really hurt so much as surprised me.

"You want more?" Edward growled softly.

When I whimpered, he moved his hand back to my hip and pulled nearly all the way out. I was about to protest, but then he slammed all the way back in.

"Yes, fuck!" I hissed.

He continued to pound into me, gripping my hips firmly. I was quickly moving toward another orgasm, and when his hand again left my hip and slid to my front, I began trembling. I was so close...

"You want it?" he asked, so low that I was surprised I heard him.

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out but a squeak.

"Tell me," he growled again, his hand pressed lightly on my thigh.

"Y-Yes, please!" I was begging, and I knew it, but I wasn't ashamed.

"Come for me again, Isabella," he ordered as his fingers finally slid the last few inches and flicked my clit, brushing over and over until I cried out his name as I came.

Edward gave one last thrust, and I could almost feel him swell even bigger inside me as he found his release.

We stood there for long minutes, until my trembling arms were unable to hold me up anymore. He finally slid out of me and, in one smooth move, picked me up in his arms.

Holding me to him, he pressed his forehead to mine. "I love you, you know that, right?" he murmured, his breath tickling my lips.

"Love you, too," I answered just as softly.

As he carried me down the hall to the bedroom, I knew we were going to be okay.


	49. Outtake 2 – Gettin' Our Honeymoon On

**Outtake 2: Gettin' Our Honeymoon On  
Edward's POV**

Bella and I had been on our honeymoon at Whidbey Island for four and a half days and had done nothing but sit out on the deck, soak in the jacuzzi, and make love. It was paradise, surrounded by all the trees, flowers, and wildlife. We'd watched as deer had come near the cabin the day before, actually close enough to see the doe and her fawn without having to strain. Bella and I had held our breaths as they came out to walk through the "backyard" together, the fawn prancing around its mother.

We woke to the sound of birds each morning, our bodies wrapped around one another, and went to bed each night only after a bath together in the clawfoot tub and one last round of sex. We'd always had a healthy sex life together, but it seemed like we couldn't get enough; we were insatiable.

_Not that either of us was complaining..._

I'd woken her earlier that morning with a kiss, told her to dress in layers after her shower, and then hurried outside with my cell phone. She'd had no idea what was going on, and she'd known it was pointless to ask, so she'd done as I'd asked her to and worn jeans, a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, and had a jacket, "just in case," she said.

As we drove onto the ferry, she finally figured out where we were going.

"We're going to San Juan Island?" she asked excitedly. Like Whidbey, that was another place she'd never been.

I grinned and nodded as I put the car in park and turned off the engine. "I figured we could do some shopping this morning, have a good lunch somewhere, and then there's a whale watching tour this afternoon if you're interested."

She threw herself across the seat as best she could, hugging me tight. "I would love that!"

"Good." I laughed. "Now, let's get out and go sit at one of the cafes up top. I dunno about you, but I need coffee."

It was going to be an hour's ride to San Juan Island, so we sat at one of the little tables provided and talked while we ate and watched the scenery go by. A few minutes into our trip, Bella spoke up.

"Alice asked me something last week," she said. At my raised eyebrow, she continued, "She asked if we'd thought about moving out of the apartment above the store."

"Oh?" I chuckled. "Emmett asked me the same thing. He said a house down the block from them came on the market and we should move in."

She laughed. "He'd be over all the time, wouldn't he?"

I nodded, rolling my eyes, knowing how crazy it would be to live that close to Emmett. "All the damn time." I was quiet a minute and then asked, "What'd you tell her?"

"Well," she hedged, "of course she didn't know about the wedding yet, so I said maybe after we got married. I mean, of course I'll wanna think about a house at some point. I know we've talked about having kids, but I'm not ready for that yet. Are, uh... Are you?"

I smiled and lifted her hand, which had been resting on my leg, to my mouth to press a kiss to her palm. "No, love, not yet. But a house..." I hummed, grinning. "That's something to consider."

My cell phone rang, and when I pulled it out of my pocket, I raised an eyebrow and said, "Sasha," before flipping it open and saying hello.

As I spoke to my assistant about a new music book delivery, I watched Bella, who had turned to watch the fantastic scenery pass by. I'd pulled the camera out of my sweatshirt pocket when we got out of the car, so she was taking the opportunity to snap some pictures.

Finally, the announcement came over the speakers to get back into our vehicle, so I took her hand, and we quickly made our way back to our car. On the way through the passenger area, she grabbed a few brochures about Friday Harbor.

Once in the car and waiting to unload, she flipped through the colorful pages, idly wondering aloud if she could find ideas on where she wanted to shop.

"Ooh, this place looks cute." She showed me a picture of Island Studios. "They sell 'Fine Arts and Crafts from the Artists of the San Juan Islands,'" she quoted. "That would be a neat place to look for some souvenirs."

"Then that's where we'll go," I said, smiling. "Does it say how to get there?"

~*~CIBD~*~

Bella had given me great directions on getting to Island Studios. The place was...eclectic. I saw paintings, photographs, and prints hanging on the walls and in racks, jewelry and glasswork on padded stands and shelves, pottery and books on bookshelves, and more.

"I wanna look at the jewelry," Bella said. "I think Alice, Rose, and your mom would love a pretty necklace or something."

Once at the jewelry, Bella gravitated immediately to a deep red glass pendant on a sterling silver chain; the red had black swirls through it. Bella promptly declared it perfect for Rose before moving on around to look at the rest. For my mom, she found a pendant of a bright mosaic of glass reminiscent of the Carnival of Venice that she thought my mom would love because it looked like stained glass.

"What about this for Alice?" I asked, pointing to one that caught my eye. "The layers of white ribbons of glass through the clear glass look almost like a crystal ball." I snorted. "She's always teasing about being a psychic. She should love that."

Bella agreed that it was perfect and then pointed out two she'd found that she liked for herself. One was a mixture of different shades of green on black, reminding me of a forest. The other was a mix of blues and greens, reminding me of the ocean.

"Which do you like better?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Why not get both?" I countered, shrugging. "They're both beautiful."

She shook her head. "No need to spend that much. I'll just get this one," she said, pointing to the "forest" one.

I knew somehow that I'd need to figure out a way to get Bella out to the car alone so I could buy the other as a surprise. Luckily, she was tugging me away to look at silk scarves, claiming a black one with bright red flowers on it was perfect for Angela.

"There's so much outside that I want to look at," she sighed, giving a wistful look to the door leading out to the garden sculptures and iron work. "I don't wanna buy any—they would be a pain to carry home, and we don't really have a place to put them—but the pictures in the brochure were pretty."

That's when I grabbed my chance. "Why don't you go look, and I'll take this stuff up and pay for them? You can meet me at the car when you're ready."

She wasted no time in agreeing, and with a kiss to my lips, she handed me the scarf.

I moved quickly up to the counter and grabbed the other necklace Bella had wanted, adding it to my pile at the register.

"Did you find everything?" the young woman behind the counter asked brightly.

I nodded. "Yes, thanks." Pointing to the gift for Bella, I asked, "Could you ring that up first, please? It's a gift for my wife, and I wanna hide it before she sees I've bought it."

The woman flashed a huge grin and picked up the box, keyed in the information to the register, and then handed it to me before beginning to add in the rest of our order.

I slid the single box into my sweatshirt pocket, out of Bella's view, just as she came around the corner.

"That stuff was great," she said, "but I'm hungry. Do we have time to eat before we go?"

"Yeah," I said, handing the young woman my credit card. "The tour I thought we'd take doesn't start until noon. We can grab lunch first."

"I'd suggest checking out the restaurant in the Friday Harbor House, down on West Street," the clerk said as she handed me the credit card slip to sign. "It's got great steak, salad, and seafood, and the prices aren't outrageous."

"Thanks," Bella told her, smiling. "That sounds good."

"Have a great time in Friday Harbor," the young woman called as we left the store.

~*~CIBD~*~

After a lunch of a lamb burger with wild nettle pesto and golden beet slaw for me and a roasted chicken salad with apple, walnuts, white cheddar, and mixed greens for Bella, we drove to the docks, where we parked in the designated area. Before we left the vehicle, I put our purchases in the trunk and grabbed the bag I'd stashed there. Bella looked at me in surprise.

"I figured out ahead of time what we'd need and made sure to bring it," I said proudly. I hadn't known for sure this is what we'd be doing this week, but I'd known it was a possibility.

"What's in it?" she asked, pulling her jacket on as we walked. The wind had kicked up a bit, so the air had a slight chill to it.

"Little bit of everything," I said. "Hats and sunglasses for both of us, sunscreen, a water bottle, and extra batteries and a memory card for the camera."

She laughed and teased, "Well, at least we're prepared!"

I poked her side and laughed as she squealed away from me.

Once we'd checked in—I'd made our reservations first thing early that morning—we settled on the deck of the boat, waiting for the rest of the passengers to board so we could take off on the three-hour tour. Hopefully, we wouldn't end up like Gilligan!

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Bella's POV**

It was nearly seven o'clock when we finally pulled up at the cabin. We'd stopped at Front Street Grill to pick up dinner to eat here at our temporary home, and it smelled delicious from the back seat of the car.

We'd decided to share each course, so instead of sitting at the table to eat, we curled up on the floor in front of the fire. It really wasn't cold enough to warrant it, but since we'd both stripped out our clothes, the small fire we kept going was just enough to keep us warm.

Over the next thirty minutes, we fed each other bites of coconut prawns with a sweet chili dipping sauce, spicy seafood fettuccine with fresh fish, mussels, and prawns, and a sinfully good chocolate lava cake, which oozed perfectly when we cut through it.

"That was the best thing we've had to eat since we got here," I said, lying comfortably full on the floor on my side in front of Edward. He was spooning me from behind, so I turned my head to kiss him, just enjoying the warmth of the fire and being with my husband.

"Mmm," he agreed.

There was no need for words then, and we lay quietly, trading kisses and holding one another for a long time. Edward added more wood to the fire a few times, settling in beside me after each time. We were taking every moment of our honeymoon to just relax and be together. Edward was a romantic guy anyway, but he'd really stepped it up this week—dinner by the fire was just proof of that.

That wasn't to say everything was sweet and romantic in bed. We'd had sex on almost every surface of the cabin—from the huge tub, the deck, the dining room table, the kitchen counter, and the couch. Speaking of...

"I think want to skip the soak in the tub tonight," I said, turning around to face him and raising my eyebrow teasingly. "Is that okay?"

He grinned. "I think I'm okay with that..." He kissed me, trailing his fingers lightly down my back. "Do you wanna go on upstairs while I put out the fire?"

Then his fingers slipped through the wetness between my legs, and I realized there was no way I wanted to move from that spot.

"Or we could just light a bigger fire right here," I purred, tangling my fingers in his hair and drawing him down for a kiss.

~*~CIBD~*~

The fire had died completely by the time we lay side by side, panting, our sweat-slicked skin cooling without the flames.

"Come on, love," Edward said as he stood, holding his hand out for me. "Quick shower and then bed."

"But I'm not really sleepy," I said, confused, even as I took his hand.

He pulled me to him, one arm around my waist and the other hand on my ass, and said with a smirk, "Neither am I."

Then he winked before turning and making his way up the stairs, laughing as I hurried to follow him, enjoying the view all the way up.


	50. Outtake 3 – Getting On with Our Lives

**Outtake 3: Getting On With Our Lives  
Edward's POV**

"Daddy!" my daughters cried as they ran into the living room.

"Mase kicked over our castle!" Olivia continued, her hands planted on her hips.

I could see two fistfuls of Legos in Grace's hands as she looked up at me with a disgruntled expression on her face.

"Now why would he do that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I dropped my keys into the dish by the front door.

"'Cause they stealed my guys to play with their dolls," Masen growled as he came around the corner. I had to stop my laugh at the disgust in his voice.

"They stole your guys, huh?" I asked, looking down at my twin daughters. At three years old, they were miniature versions of my wife, from their wavy brown hair to their deep pools of brown for their eyes.

They gazed up at me with innocent, angelic expressions.

"Our mommies had to have daddies," they said sweetly, as if that should explain everything.

"Well, give Masen back his guys now. Maybe next time, you should ask if you can play with them, huh?" At their exasperated sighs, I chuckled. "Did you ask Santa to buy you some dolls you can use for daddies?"

I knew they had, because Bella and I had obviously helped with their notes to "Santa," but it had been a couple of weeks, so I wanted to remind them of that.

"Oh yeah!" Olivia said. "Christmas is tomorrow!"

I tweaked her nose and grinned. "Not tomorrow, sweetheart. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Nana and Papi will be here tomorrow, though."

After making them all apologize—for castle destruction and action figure theft—I asked, "Where's Mommy?"

"Feedin' the baby," Grace called before turning and running out of the room, her siblings hot on her heels.

I laughed, shaking my head at my children as I walked through the house and up the stairs to the nursery. I knew I'd find Bella in the rocking chair by the window, and I wasn't disappointed.

"Hi," she said softly when I came into the room. "I heard the kids. Everything okay?"

I nodded and moved to crouch down beside her. "Just a disagreement over Mommy and Daddy dolls and storming the castle."

She chuckled.

"How's my little man?" I asked, brushing a finger softly over my son's downy hair.

Bella was nursing our four-month-old, who we'd named Matthew after my dad, Carlisle Matthew. Masen had been named after me, the girls both carried our mothers' middle names, and now Matthew Charles was named after both our fathers.

"He's good," Bella answered with a smile.

"And how's my beautiful wife?" I stood again and leaned down to kiss her, careful not to jostle the baby at her breast.

Bella sighed after I moved away. "Tired. The kids are ready for Christmas. I wrapped the last of what I needed to while they were having quiet time today, though, so at least something got done."

"I'll heat up frozen pizza for dinner," I said, taking Matt and the burp rag from her when she held him up. Putting him over my shoulder, I patted his back until he let out a quiet gas bubble as Bella got her clothes in order. "Why don't you go take a soak in the tub and relax? Take a nap if you want to. I've got the kids for a while."

She smiled gratefully. "His diaper's clean. Thank you." She kissed my cheek and Matt's hand and then headed to our bedroom down the hall.

"Come on, little man," I said quietly, grabbing his pacifier from the crib. "Let's feed your brother and sisters so Mommy has some quiet time."

Matt happily cooed his acceptance as I carried him down the stairs.

~*~CIBD~*~

**Christmas Eve**

After dinner, the whole family gathered in Emmett and Rose's living room. It was the only place big enough to even think about being comfortable enough for eighteen people—ten adults, seven children over the age of three, and an infant.

Bella and I had invited Charlie and Sue up for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. They would then go back to spend the rest of Christmas with Sue's kids in Forks. With my parents both in town for the holiday too, we were bursting at the seams as we all crammed into the living room. We were all staying there for the night "so Santa only has to go to one place," according to Henry and Masen, although Bella's dad and Sue were going to go over to our house to stay the night. They would be back over bright and early to open presents, though, they'd assured Masen, Olivia, and Grace—as well as Jordan, Tommy, Lilly, and Henry, who they'd pretty much adopted as their grandchildren, as well.

As soon as everyone was seated, my dad began pulling big gift bags out from behind the large tree. I knew immediately what they were, of course, since the pajama tradition was still going strong. He handed one to Tommy, another to Lilly, and a third to Masen, before giving a slightly smaller bag to Bella's father and the last to my mother.

"Go ahead," Mom said, and we all laughed as the kids dug into the bags before she'd even finished saying it.

In each bag was a rolled-up pajama set, each tagged with a name. Jordan helped Lilly and Masen give out the ones from their bags, and then the kids all ran off to the bedrooms and bathrooms to change.

"Here, Edward," Bella said, handing Matt to me. "I'll go change and then take him again so I can dress him while you change."

"Oh please," Charlie griped, holding out his hands. "Give the boy to me, and you guys go change. Then we'll switch places."

I laughed and handed the baby to him, grinning as he cuddled my son close to his chest, already talking in a deep, but quiet voice about having a fishing rod just for him so they could all go out on the lake together when Matt got a little older.

Twenty minutes later, we were all back in the living room, proudly showing off our new pajamas. Like every Christmas, we all got matching pants—black with green and red Christmas ornaments—and everyone had a different T-shirt or sweatshirt.

Emmett and Rose had the funniest of the adults. Emmett was without shame as he paraded around in the white T-shirt that said: Dear Santa, I can explain... Love, Emmett. He was thrilled that our mom had even gotten his name screenprinted on it. Rose had a white T-shirt as well, with a cute frog on the front, some holly, and the words: I _toad_ly love Christmas.

We all cooed and laughed at the kids. Nana had done an outstanding job picking out shirts to fit each personality. Official candy and cookie taste testers for Grace and Olivia. Cute reindeers for Lilly—the reindeer fanatic. A polar bear who needed a snowday for preteen Tommy, and for his older sister, Jordan, a letter to Santa saying to leave the gifts and take her brother. The most perfect were Henry—crazy words all squished together that said, "Santa! Oh My God! Santa's Coming! I Know Him! I Know Him!"—and Masen—a devilish little character that said, "be naughty. save santa the trip!" At four and a half years old, they were brilliant choices.

But it was when we all turned our attention to Charlie and baby Matthew that Bella's eyes filled with happy tears. Charlie's shirt featured Santa in a blue sleigh filled with presents and a small Christmas tree, and instead of being pulled by reindeer, he was being pulled by three fish—with antlers, no less, and a bright red nose on the lead fish. He grinned as he held Matt, who was wearing a white onesie with a big green cartoon-ish fish in a Santa hat, with the words Merry Christmas above it.

"See? Even Matty knows he's my future fishing buddy," Charlie said proudly.

Bella hugged my mom as I took my son from Charlie, tickling his belly. The kids were all excited and showing off their shirts, to each other and to their grandparents. Matty gurgled to Bella when she walked over to us, and she took him, nuzzling his neck as I hugged her to my side.

Once everyone had settled down again, Charlie helped my dad bring in hot chocolate for everyone. Jordan, Tommy, and even Lilly got regular mugs like the adults, while the other kids got new Christmas-themed sippy cups to try to avoid spilling it all over the carpet.

As Emmett started up _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_—the 1966 version, not the Jim Carrey adaptation—Bella handed Matt off to the grandparents to pass around and then took her mug from my hand and snuggled into my side.

We were completely crowded, on every piece of furniture and free space on the floor, but with the lights down and the Christmas lights sending a colorful rainbow through the room, no one seemed to mind a bit.

Three hours later, Bella, Rose, and Alice were back in the living room after trying valiantly to get the kids to sleep. We'd listened to nearly twenty minutes of begging and pleading for us to let them sleep in the living room, under the lights of the Christmas tree, but when Charlie had finally reminded them that if they slept in the living room, Santa couldn't visit, they'd relented.

Jordan had offered up her room for the girls, so while she was in her bed, Lilly, Olivia, and Grace were bunked down on a bed of blankets on her floor. Similarly, the boys were in with Tommy. Matty, on the other hand, was being well looked after by my parents, allowing Bella and me to finish wrapping gifts. Then we would sleep in the living room on the pull-out couch, letting pregnant Alice and Jasper have one guest room and my parents, the other.

"So, what still needs wrapping?" I asked, looking down at my wife, who was snuggled into my side. We hadn't started yet, afraid the kids weren't truly asleep.

Keeping her voice low, she replied, "For the twins, there are some dress-up outfits, the toy kitchen, and some of the play food. I already wrapped the clothes, books, games, and other stuff for the kitchen."

Bella had found a huge deluxe play kitchen for the girls, and we'd stocked up on everything they could possibly need and want to go with it.

"Mm, and the kitchen's in the garage?" I asked, knowing she'd brought it here to keep it away from prying eyes last month when she bought it.

"Yup," she answered. "For Mase, everything is wrapped except the Nerf gun, remote control truck, and Legos."

We'd also gotten him a new bike, but we weren't wrapping it. That would just be left under the tree with a tag on it.

"Good. Shouldn't take long to knock all that out, then," I said, kissing the top of her head as the rest of the family—minus the kids—made their way back into the living room.

"Wanna watch a movie while we wait for the kids to be out?" Alice asked, looking around.

At our nods, she popped in a DVD, and we all settled in comfortably on the large couches and chairs, sipping the new hot chocolates my mom and Sue had carried in on trays. It was a peaceful, quiet scene, which was a relief after so many hours of all the excited kids, and before long, several soft snores could be heard around the room.

~*~*~CIBD~*~*~

**Christmas Night  
Bella's POV**

"Good night, Mom," I said, hugging Esme. She and Carlisle were headed back to Forks.

She laughed as she pulled away, looking me over. "It's been a long day, hasn't it?"

I nodded, rolling my eyes, even as I smiled. "I think Christmas morning means an automatic inner alarm for all kids."

My thoughts immediately went back to way too early that morning, how early I'd been woken up by the kids.

~*~CIBD~*~

"_Shh, 'Livia!" I heard my son's loud whisper. "Grace, don't wake Mommy and Daddy!"_

"_I wanna wake Aunt Bella!" Henry's voice—already hyper at the crack of dawn—rang out._

"_Not yet, munchkin," Jordan told him quietly. "Let Aunt Bella and Uncle Edward sleep for a bit. Come on. Let's check out what Santa left us in the stockings."_

_Not wanting to spoil their fun, I cracked my eyes open, only to find myself staring into deep green ones only inches away. Edward was wide awake already, holding in his own chuckles as we listened to seven pairs of feet shuffle around the living room._

_There were gasps as each kid dumped the contents of their stocking on the floor, finding everything from new toothbrushes and socks for everyone, to books and makeup for the oldest, and crayons and other little things for the youngest._

"_Ready to face the day?" Edward said, his whisper barely audible._

_I yawned and shook my head no, but opened my mouth anyway. "Whatcha doin?" I asked aloud._

_There were gasps, and then four little bodies rushed up onto the bed with us._

"_Mommy!" Grace breathed, climbing under the blanket with me and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Santa comed!"_

_Laughing, I nodded. "I know, sweetie. I could tell by all the noise. Did you get some good stuff in your stocking?"_

"_I gots some socks," Henry said with a groan. "Aunt Bella, why'd Santa hafta bring me socks?" He sounded so exasperated that I couldn't help but laugh._

"_Did you just get socks?" Edward asked, reaching out from around Olivia and Masen, who'd planted themselves on his belly once he'd rolled to his back._

"_No," Lilly said suddenly from beside the bed. "They got lotsa stuff. Can I go get my mommy and daddy up now?" she asked, looking over at me._

"_What time is it, you guys?" I mumbled through a yawn._

_Jordan laughed. "Six thirty. I held them back as long as I could, but Tommy knocked on my door at six and said Masen and Henry were itching to get out there. We kept everyone in my room until they were about to vibrate right out of their skin."_

_Nodding, I sighed. "Yeah, sweetie," I told Lilly. "Go and quietly wake up your mom and dad. Jordan, go with her and get your parents and Nana and Papi up, too. Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Sue will be here soon."_

_She scampered off, Jordan right behind her, as the little ones crawled off the bed and moved back to their spots on the floor._

"_Come on, love," Edward murmured, moving to kiss me once. "Time to face the masses."_

~*~CIBD~*~

"I'm ready for bedtime," I told Esme.

She just laughed and moved on to hug Edward.

"Give us a call when you get home. Drive safely," I said as I hugged Carlisle. "Thanks for everything."

"You're most welcome, sweetheart," he replied. "Just let us know when you want us to watch the kids, and you can redeem those cruise tickets, all right?"

I nodded and then let him go so he could say goodbye to Edward.

The kids had all said their goodbyes already and were playing with their new toys, but when the front door opened, a thunder of footsteps could be heard coming from the living room into the entry way.

"Papi! Nana!" someone called.

"One more hug!" another voice said loudly.

After one more round of hugs from everyone, Emmett helped Carlisle carry out their overnight bag and stack of gifts, letting in a blast of cold air.

Esme handed Matt to me, gave each of the kids one last hug and kiss, and then followed her husband out into the winter evening.

"Ready to go home?" Edward asked.

I nodded as Matt gave a quiet whimper. "Yeah. Matt needs to be fed, and I'd rather be home so I could put him right to bed after." Then I looked at my husband and smiled. "In a minute, though."

Edward returned my smile and wrapped his arms around me, one hand cradling Matt against my chest. We stood together, enjoying the quiet moment.


End file.
